Scouting Report

LaMarcus Aldridge is one the most talented power forwards in the NBA. With an extremely lanky six-foot-11 frame, Aldridge possesses an all-around skillset that ranges from his ability to finish at the rim through pick and rolls and basket cuts to his pretty jump shot that he can make with a foot inside the arc with a good bit of consistency. He has the potential to be a 25/10 guy in this league which is something that is rarely touched in today’s game. The only problem with Aldridge would be his mental approach to the game. No, he isn’t crazy, he’s perfectly sane, but he isn’t overall aggressive on the floor and has yet to find a nasty side that would help him immensely and would likely help him reach his peak.

But even if he doesn’t demand the ball more or become more aggressive, Aldridge is still a great player. He averaged 18 points and eight rebounds last season for the Trail Blazers while shooting 49% from the field. LaMarcus has an above average post-game, a solid mid-range game and is able to score at the rim but it will likely take off the ball movement and a pass to get him there. He’s able to use these weapons at will which makes him such a dangerous offensive player.

According to Synergy Sports Technology, Aldridge scored .91 points per possession on post-ups last season, the 56th best rate in the league. LaMarcus found himself on the block or in the mid-range with his back to the basket 668 times last season where he shot the ball 537 times, making 237 of those shots (44%). Aldridge has a solid fadeaway shot that he can get off over any defender because of his long arms and can finish at the rim well.

When Aldridge is on the move, he is highly efficient thanks to his mobile frame. As the big man in 192 pick and rolls last season, he scored 1.04 points per possession (58th in the league) while shooting 51% from the floor (93-183). Because he can shoot the basketball from outside the paint, a pick and roll with Aldridge is a double-edge sword because just as good as he is rolling he can also step out and hit a jumper.

Additionally on 117 plays classified as cuts to the basket last season, Aldridge scored 1.49 points per possession, the 17th best rate in the league. Again, his mobility allows him to get into a place where he can use his length to finish at the rim and his solid pass catching skills make him an easy target for his teammates.

Aldridge 15 shot attempts per game last season. According to HoopData, Aldridge shot four of those shots at the rim, three within 10 feet, three between 10-15 feet and five between 16-23 feet. From all of those locations, LaMarcus shot no less than 40%. At the rim he finished with 71% of his shots, 44% within 10 feet, 42% from 10-15 feet and 41% from 16-23 feet.

Most of Aldridge’s buckets on jumpshots come off of passes as he is not an effective isolation scorer. He was only in 58 such situations last season and shot just 38%. 75% of his 16-23 foot jumpers came off of assists from his teammates which means he was either left open by a helping big or he popped out on a pick and roll to take a shot. As a final aspect of his offensive repertoire, Aldridge ranked first in the league last season in transition scoring, gaining 1.62 points per possession on 89 opportunities. This is another area of the game where LaMarcus’ mobility gives him an advantage.

Defensively is where Aldridge loses some of the points he scores on offense. He isn’t a terrible defender, just an unenthusiastic one, which is a personality trait that goes along with his lack of aggressiveness on the other end. Overall, Aldridge ranked as the 170th defender in the NBA, giving up .89 points per possession and 40% shooting. In isolation sets, you can often find him staring at his defender with his arms slouched over rather than trying to shut him down.

He is effective in one particular area, however. When guarding the pick and roll, Aldridge’s length and lateral quickness make him a tough defender to get by. Aldridge allowed just .88 points per possession in this situation, the 48th best mark in the league. His long arms help him challenge shots and his mobility allows him to slide into position before his man can get a good lane to the basket.

When it comes to rebounding, Aldridge’s lack of aggression again gets the best of him. Half of the battle in this area of the game is wanting it more than the opposition and you can tell that that’s not always the case with Aldridge. His average of eight rebounds is nice but his rebound rate of 13.3% (amount of rebounds he pulled down of the available missed shots), ranks 40th in the league amongst power forwards.

Aldridge is a very nice talent with versatility somewhat similar to fellow Texas Longer Kevin Durant, at least when it comes to being six-foot-11 and able to hit from range. If he were ever able to become a more dominant player in terms of demanding the basketball and wanting to rip through his opponents as opposed to shooting over them, perhaps he could reach that 25/10 plateau that is reserved for the game’s elite. If he doesn’t, he’s still a great player that is the perfect as a solid second option next to Brandon Roy.