Aldridge knows what Gasol's going through as Spurs newbie
LaMarcus Aldridge has shut down rumors that he's unhappy in San Antonio, but that doesn't mean he hasn't had his struggles fitting in with the Spurs.
Aldridge admits that there was a significant adjustment period for him after coming over from the Portland Trail Blazers last year as he tried to nail down the Spurs' ornate systems. And, as he sees the same thing playing out this year for new frontcourt mate Pau Gasol, he can't help but empathize.
"I'd much rather be on this side of it and watch him go through it than when I was going through it," Aldridge said, according to USA Today's Sam Amick. "Our defensive schemes here are different than every other team, I feel, so he's still trying to get that down. You end up overthinking offensively, so you're not kind of into it at times. He's going to be fine, but he is going through it right now."
Gasol struggled badly in his first three games with the Spurs, scoring just 18 total points and playing no more than 22 minutes. But he looked far more comfortable Sunday against the Miami Heat, going for 20 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 31 minutes.
For his part, Aldridge still doesn't sound wholly settled in his new role.
"I came from a system (in Portland) that was tailor-made for me," he said. "It was made where I could find my shots, and it was made to post me up and it was made to - tailored to my game - so it's going from there to a system that's not really tailored to me, so it was just different."
The Spurs and Aldridge ultimately met each other halfway last season, with Aldridge ceding some static possessions in favor of motion offense, and the Spurs focusing more on generating post-ups and mid-range looks. It may not have been perfect, but the Spurs won a franchise-record 67 games, and Aldridge insists that any suggestion he's unhappy is just baseless speculation.
"That's just media," he told Amick. "And that's why I don't get into it. The organization is happy with me, and I'm happy with them, and as long as we keep a good relationship then everything is fine.
"It's been great. My family is closer. I'm closer to home (Dallas), and I'm in California during the summer (Newport Beach) so it's just nice being in Texas year-round now."