I’m not sure if this trade would have hurt either team, but I’m definitely sure the Blazers are glad they didn’t pull the trigger on this move.
According to Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report, the Portland Trail Blazers and Chicago Bulls discussed a trade in this summer that centered around LaMarcus Aldridge for Joakim Noah.
No word on whether or not those discussion ever got serious.
Then came the trade rumors last summer. Who initiated them and how close they were to being consummated isn’t clear, but a deal sending Aldridge to Chicago forJoakim Noah was discussed, several sources said.
“Aldridge was available,” one league source noted. The Bulls had a chance to correct their draft-night mistake (acquiring Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Khryapa for Aldridge and Demetris Nichols) but ultimately didn’t.
The Bulls had the opportunity to draft Aldridge in the 2006 NBA Draft. I think the deal would have made both teams better, but Aldridge has truly taken his game to another level.