Last week, LaMarcus Aldridge returned to the Brooklyn Nets after an irregular heartbeat forced him to retire last season.
Five months after being sidelined, Aldridge received medical clearance to resume his career.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Aldridge and Brooklyn came together on a one-year, $2.6 million deal.
Aldridge addressed the return in a statement to ESPN, saying:
“I retired in April based on what I believed was the wisest precautionary decision for my personal health at the time, but further testing and evaluation by several top physicians has convinced the doctors, myself and the Nets that I’m fully cleared and able to return to the rigors of the NBA.”
After agreeing to a buyout with the San Antonio Spurs last season, Aldridge joined the Nets.
He played just five games with Brooklyn before announcing his retirement.
Aldridge’s return provides Brooklyn with another capable veteran for the team’s championship push.
Aldridge Deepens Brooklyn’s Rotation
At 36 years old, Aldridge brings a wealth of NBA knowledge and experience to an already stacked roster.
The seven-time All-Star sports career averages of 19.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game throughout his 15-year career.
Aldridge immediately provides the Nets with size and an offensive presence in the post.
Despite being one of the top scoring teams in the league, Brooklyn lacked a traditional back to the basket big man who can score in a half court setting.
The Nets played small for long stretches of last season, including in the playoffs, but having a capable veteran like Aldridge means it’s no longer a necessity.
Aldridge joins a front court rotation with another pair of former All-Stars in Blake Griffin and Paul Millsap.
He can also play the mentor role for Brooklyn’s young bigs, Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe.
Before his buyout with San Antonio, Aldridge was a productive big man for the Spurs last season.
He averaged 13.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game over 21 contests as the Spurs’ starting center.
Aldridge Fills Void Left By DeAndre Jordan
The Nets finally divorced themselves from DeAndre Jordan last week.
After lengthy buyout discussions, Brooklyn managed a trade to send the 33-year-old center to the Detroit Pistons.
While the Nets landed a pair of low-salary reserves in Sekou Doumbouya and Jahlil Okafor, they paid a hefty price in draft assets.
Brooklyn sent the Pistons four second-round picks, two from Brooklyn and two the Nets acquired from other teams.
But the move was more about cutting Brooklyn’s luxury tax bill more than anything else.
By sending Jordan’s salary to Detroit and receiving lower salaries in Doumbouya and Okafor, the Nets saved themselves a staggering sum in luxury tax.
Couple that with adding a big man in Aldridge who can stretch the floor some with his consistent midrange jumper, replacing Jordan who had no outside shot, this move is a win-win for the Nets.
The additions of Aldridge and Millsap add capable veterans for Brooklyn, who also cut bait with 6-foot-7 power forward Alize Johnson.
The 25-year-old Johnson appeared in 18 games for Brooklyn last season, averaging 5.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in just 10.5 minutes per contest.
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