All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge already told the Portland Trailblazers that he will not be coming back for the team next season, according to the Columbian. Instead, the All-NBA Second Teamer is allegedly considering playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in October.

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ESPN reported there is a "99.9 percent chance" that Aldridge will be out of Portland once free agency starts on July 1. The report also indicated that the recent Nicolas Batum trade to the Charlotte Hornets is a clear sign that the Blazers are preparing for their prized player's departure.

There were a lot of speculated reasons for his decision to leave the team that catered him for the whole nine years of his professional career. One is his skepticism about the Blazers capacity to attract elite free agents to help him and Damian Lillard go deeper into the playoffs. Two, he is said to be feeling "underappreciated" by the team whom he had helped stay afloat in the rugged Western Conference through the years. And three, he is merely looking for new opportunities to finally win a championship before he passes his prime.

Just recently, the Lakers was reported as the new apple of Aldridge's eyes. Sources said that the 6-foot-11, sweet-shooting big man was "thinking more and more about a free-agent jump to the Lakers."

Uproxx indicated that a potential team up with Sacramento Kings' DeMarcus Cousins is what's swaying Aldridge to go to L.A. The Lakers are said to be in the process of cooking an offer to facilitate a trade involving the Kings' best player and their no. 2 pick plus Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson.

If the rumors materialize, then Kobe Bryant may have an interesting 2015-2016, which many have predicted to be his final season in the league.

However, other analysts have criticized the idea saying that giving away promising talents in Randle, Clarkson, and the recently selected second overall pick D'Angelo Russell for an irrepressible Cousins would be too much for the Lakers to relinquish.

Taking Aldridge to join the starting lineup of Kobe, Randle, Clarkson, and Russell would be better than signing two frontcourt scorers who would leave them without suitable perimeter defenders.

TagsNBA 2015, NBA news, NBA News 2015, NBA rumors, NBA Rumors 2015, NBA Trade Rumors, NBA trade rumors 2015, LaMarcus Aldridge, Los Angeles Lakers