The late 2000s Portland Trail Blazers looked like a potential dynasty in the making. However, after a few solid seasons, injuries to both Brandon Roy and Greg Oden derailed the team, and things started to look bleak.
That’s until 2012, when they drafted Damian Lillard.
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At the same time, LaMarcus Aldridge had become the team’s star. Once it became clear what kind of potential Lillard had after winning Rookie of the Year over Anthony Davis, the team’s ambitions suddenly grew.
The ultimate confirmation of their quality came in Lillard’s sophomore season, when the team won a playoff series for the first time since 1999, thanks to his iconic game-winner in Game 6 against the Houston Rockets. The team made the playoffs again the following season, and everything seemed on track for a future NBA title run — until Aldridge’s shocking departure to the San Antonio Spurs.
“The third year, LA leave,” Lillard recalled on his YouTube channel. “So when he left, I was like, ‘Bro, this sh-t is fragile.’ Like anything can happen, like he was gone. Before my third year, I know that they was trying to sign like an extension. I remember something when he said, ‘Imma just resign next summer.'”
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“If somebody say something like that right now, I’d be like he probably think about something different,” Lillard continued. “But at the time I’m like maybe he got more money if he just sign next summer. I didn’t really think nothing off it cuz I felt in that playoffs me and him reached different level connection-wise on the court.”
Aldridge believed the team should be built around him
As a rising NBA star, Lillard wasn’t prepared for his team leader to leave.
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He revealed that Aldridge once told him he was getting mixed signals from the front office about who was considered the team’s No.1 option. Even though Lillard had already shown he was ready to lead the franchise, Aldridge clearly believed the team should be built around him, and not even the former’s game-winners could convince him otherwise.
Aldridge also wanted to be closer to home, and the Spurs offered him just that, giving him a chance to play near Dallas.
Lillard once stated that he’s convinced the Blazers would have won a title if Aldridge hadn’t left. Instead, he learned a harsh lesson: that the NBA is a business.
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“One thing I think about in my career is like if he never went to San Antonio,” Lillard said. “We would have won at least once because I would have come into my own, but he was that good.”
Title hopes in Portland?
Aldridge’s hesitation about signing a new deal with the Trail Blazers wasn’t without reason, as he later stated in interviews that the chance to play under Gregg Popovich and continue growing alongside Tim Duncan was appealing.
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It’s a shame Aldridge didn’t fully believe at the time that, alongside Lillard, they had the potential to bring Portland a title, because they truly were one of the best one-two punches in the league. They complemented each other perfectly on the court with their skill sets, had the ideal balance between frontcourt and backcourt, had a deep roster and practically all the pieces to go all the way.
Unfortunately for them, Aldridge chose to chase his championship dreams with the Spurs. And those dreams never came to life.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.