DeAndre Jordan is visiting with the Mavericks, the Clippers, and two horrible teams with a lot of prestige.
LaMarcus Aldridge is visiting with, apparently, one-third of the league. This would seem to make LMA a worse bet than DAJ, in terms of the Mavs' ability to win each over.
And that's probably for the best.
While LaMarcus would immediately replace most of Monta Ellis' offense — while adding some much-needed defense and rebounding — the 29-year-old star is, and remains, a somewhat limited offensive player for all his prowess. For all we know, his particular brand of offense will age very well, but watching how much Dirk Nowitzki depended upon his three-point shot the last two years (a weapon Aldridge doesn't have), I kind of doubt it.
He therefore pretty obviously represents more of an investment in the present than the future, and since he plays the same position as the Mavs' offensive mainstay of the last decade, his total impact on the offense is less clear.
It's patently and unfortunately obvious that the Mavs will have to completely replace Dirk a lot sooner than any of us are ready for, but that doesn't change the fact that if their big splash is getting a guy who plays the same position as the highest leading scorer the Mavs are carrying over from last year — when they have so many problem areas — it will limit the effect of the signing for at least a year or two.
Still, if Aldridge were to decide to come to the Mavericks, it would be a real coup for the Mavs' front office, and it has the potential to be a very exciting move. It could reinvigorate the Mavs' two-man game, with LMA taking on more of Dirk's role, and give the Mavs the making of a high efficiency offense.
The Mavs certainly need more scoring, after apparently letting Monta go, and DeAndre Jordan (if the Mavericks get him) is not going to provide that.
Plus, if we can dream that Dirk and LMA could co-exist offensively, one thing that would be true is that it would be the best shooting front-court in the history of the league, by a lot. There are dangers there, but it would be enormously fun to watch, particularly with Aldridge's ability around the hoop.
I don't know if head coach Rick Carlisle would be as willing to go with a three big lineup as he is with the three guard lineup, but imagine a lineup with Dirk, LMA, and either DAJ or Tyson Chandler. How would you stop either Dirk or LMA in the post, knowing that when they start rolling they could either pass to the other one or throw it up for a big man slam?
Or, imagine an AFA-LMA-DAJ forward lineup. All the rebounds, right?
LaMarcus Aldridge is, obviously, the kind of player that, if you can get him, you figure other stuff out later. How good a fit it is, we'd have to wait and see.
