Aldridge claims he's a different person with Spurs after leaving Portland
Transitioning from the focal point of the offense as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers to a team which functions on a pass-heavy system with the San Antonio Spurs has presented some early obstacles for forward LaMarcus Aldridge.
"It's not the same. I'm not the same person here that I was in Portland," Aldridge said to ESPN's Michael Wright. "I don't feel like they need me to be that person all the time. It's learning how to be myself in the offense. I haven't figured that out yet."
"I feel like the whole (team philosophy of) 'good to great passes' (is) in my head all the time. Hopefully as the season goes on I'll figure it out. But right now, I'm just trying to fit in."
Aldridge was widely considered the biggest free-agent acquisition of the 2015 offseason when he signed a reported four-year, $80-million contract to join the Spurs. He was coming off a career year in Rip City, averaging a double-double of 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds on 46.6 percent shooting from the field.
Through his first two games as a Spur, the 30-year-old big man's numbers haven't lived up to the hype his signing created, putting up 10.5 points on 39.1 percent shooting, along with eight rebounds and one rejection per game.
"I've always been the main guy. I've always gotten the ball a lot," Aldridge said. "I'm trying to learn how to play in the offense, trying to learn how to get my shots out of the offense. (I'm) just trying to learn how to move the ball (the way the Spurs do it) and get shots. Pop keeps telling me to shoot it, but it's a process for me. I'm definitely not playing like myself right now. I can't be selfish here. I'm just here to win."
With San Antonio's Big Three (Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili) and rising star Kawhi Leonard in the picture, there hasn't been a need for Aldridge to put up monster numbers like he did in Portland, although he'll still have big stat lines from time to time. All he's currently seeking to do is establish an on-court rapport with his new teammates and fitting in with a group of guys who have won championships together.
"Each game gets better. I think it's a process for all of us, how to use me. For me to find my spots I'm gonna have to be aggressive," Aldridge ad