In case you missed it while you were celebrating Indpendence Day, the NBA’s top free agent in LaMarcus Aldridge decided to sign with the San Antonio Spurs on a four-year 80 million dollar deal. Earlier today Aldridge released a letter he wrote thanking the Blazers and their fans for all the support throughout his years in Porltand. The letter goes:

“Dear Rip City, Thank you!

“Those two words on a page don’t begin to express the gratitude I have for the opportunity the entire Trail Blazers organization, my teammates, the media, and you fans gave me. The past nine years have been a blessing, and I will take all of the valuable memories with me as I head back home.

“As I’m sure you can respect, my decision was a very personal one but not one I took lightly. Although I will be wearing a different uniform the next time I come back to Portland, please know that I will always hold my time in a Blazers uniform near and dear to my heart.

“Your friend, LA”

During his tenure with the Blazers, Aldridge averaged 19.4 points along with 8.4 rebounds and 1 block per game. With Aldridge out of the picture in Portland, many expect the team to fall out of the playoffs. This is your chance – my message to other Western Conference teams.

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