LaMarcus Aldridge figures to be among the most sought-after free agents this summer and it’s safe to say that he’s probably heard a few recruitment pitches this weekend in New York City. On Saturday, Aldridge cited “winning and being happy” as his top priorities in free agency and the Blazers certainly hope that they can sell him on both fronts. A look at the Northwest Division..
- Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter) sees Lorenzo Brown sticking with the Timberwolves for the remainder of the season. However, he doesn’t envision any news on that front today. The Wolves can wait a few days and see if they need that roster spot for trade purposes between now and the deadline. In a later tweet, Wolfson (link) said a new deal “will happen.” Brown’s second 10-day deal expires after Sunday night.
- Timberwolves rookie Andrew Wiggins has no regrets about the trade that sent him from Cleveland to Minnesota, Holly MacKenzie of The National Post writes. “I think it was the best move for me,” Wiggins said this weekend. “It gave me more room and put me in a position where I could grow up faster. In the league, that’s always what’s best for you.” Wiggins also noted that the deal has given him a chance to “shine.” The guard is averaging 15.2 PPG with 4.3 RPG and 1.9 APG in 34.5 minutes per game. Needless to say, Wiggins wouldn’t be seeing that kind of burn with the Cavs.
- As one of the teams sending multiple players to All-Star Weekend, the Jazz have to feel pretty good about how they’ve been evaluating, drafting, and developing talent, EJ Ayala of Basketball insiders writes. Rudy Gobert seems like a potential cornerstone for Utah and they have plenty of other talented young players who could be a part of their core with Dante Exum, Trey Burke, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks, and Rodney Hood.