Fantasy Basketball Faceoff: Blake Griffin vs. LaMarcus Aldridge

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Here's a look at whether fantasy basketball owners would be better off selecting Los Angeles Clippers PF Blake Griffin or San Antonio Spurs PF LaMarcus Aldridge in 2016 drafts:

2015 Stats

The Case for Griffin

The number you can't see in Griffin's six-column season averages is 35 - as in the number of games Griffin played last season, partially because he broke his hand on another person. When healthy, Griffin still averaged close to his career 21.5 PPG with solid rebounding and assist numbers but his absence dashed the hopes of fantasy players that took him with a high draft pick.

The most interesting fallout from last season's controversies was a summer of rumors. Could the Clippers trade Griffin for another win-now piece while maintaining strong rebounding and defense with DeAndre Jordan? There was a short period where a post-Durant-departure swap of the Thunder's Russell Westbrook and Griffin wore out the gears on the hypothetical trade machine.

The emergence of Jordan has had a major impact on Griffin's rebounding numbers. Though he'll still be the leading scorer on the Clippers and one of the league's better passing big men, Griffin has reached the ceiling with his current organization. And it's possible he's worn out his welcome as well.

Best-Case Scenario: Griffin gets traded to a team stocked with desirable young talent but short on star power - like Denver or Phoenix. The team loses a lot but with increased usage and less internal competition on the boards, Griffin taps into his athleticism (and bruised ego) and averages 25-and-10, though his assist numbers take a dive.

Worst-Case Scenario: He remains the NBA equivalent of Rob Gronkowski, a wickedly athletic finisher around the hoop with the NBA's best 'quarterback' in Chris Paul helping him get to 20-plus points a night. Jordan continues to be a beast on the glass, keeping Griffin's rebounding numbers close to his two-year average of 7.9. Over a full season, he's still an All-Star fantasy player.

The Case for Aldridge

In his final four years in Portland - each an All-Star campaign - Aldridge had a usage rate of 28.4 percent. In his first season in San Antonio, his usage rate dropped to 25.9 percent, the lowest since 2010-11. Combined with a drop from 35.4 to 30.6 minutes per game, it's easy to see why his per-game averages fell across the board.

That's San Antonio's bread and butter: team-first, movement-oriented basketball built to win and not to placate egos. And that's also why Aldridge could see a resurgence in production: with Tim Duncan retired, and Kawhi Leonard silent but deadly force on offense, the Spurs stand the best chance of winning with LMA shouldering the load on offense.

There are worries that the addition of Pau Gasol will throw a wrench into Aldridge's production; the elder Gasol brother averaged 17.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game in his two seasons in Chicago. But look for the 36-year-old Spaniard to take on a role as an initiator of the offense through his skilled passing and as a floor-spacer.

Aldridge didn't make a single 3-pointer last season, so Gasol's ability to provide any spacing for LMA's interior game will take Gasol away from the hoop - and leave more offensive rebounds and put-backs for LMA.

Best-Case Scenario: Aldridge emerges as the Spurs' top dog on offense, or at least shares the role with Leonard. Gasol's role changes to reflect the Spurs' needs; rather than take scoring and rebounding chances from Aldridge, his unique skill-set makes it easier on the five-time All-Star, giving him more room to operate without a less rangy big like Duncan crowding him.

Worst-Case Scenario: With Duncan gone, Leonard becomes the heir apparent to Duncan's role as the team leader - and raises his game on offense to prove it. Further complicating matters, Gasol doesn't work well alongside Aldridge in the front court and another 2011-12 Lakers-style controversy brews with Gasol being forced to awkwardly come off the bench.

Verdict

This one is tough; there are so many variables. What it comes down to is whether Griffin's floor - slightly more points and much more assists - is better than Aldridge's ceiling, a potential which has yet to be determined. And realistically, Griffin's ceiling will skyrocket if the Clippers do pull the trigger on an organization-altering move. Just ask James Harden, circa 2012-13.

But the over-arcing factor that prevents Aldridge from overtaking Griffin is a matter of philosophy - specifically the Spurs', and coach Gregg Popovich's. Aldridge's season will still be marked by the usual Spursian tropes: resting on back-to-backs, a balanced offensive attack. Popovich is antithetical fantasy basketball team. When push comes to shove, Griffin edges out Aldridge.