Cole Aldrich Set To Opt Out Of Clippers Contract
- Updated: June 6, 2016
Former #11 overall pick Cole Aldrich is set to opt out of his contract for next season, per Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
Aldrich was a rare bright spot for the Clippers this season which including a 21-point, 18 rebound and 5-steal performance in a win Utah with a short handed side.
While his season averages of 5.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game don’t jump out at you, Aldrich had a big presence in the locker room and on the court once he got his body in shape.
In the latter half of the season especially, Aldrich was a more than adequate backup for starting centre DeAndre Jordan and while his dance moves left a lot to be desired, Aldrich’s on court performances might have put him out of the Clippers price range for next season.
The Clippers have Aldrich’s non bird rights which allows them to exceed the salary cap to sign him however that won’t be enough. With the cap jumping next season, that means the mid-level exception (MLE) will rise with it however that may not also be enough given the lack of quality backup bigs in the league. Aldrich’s ability to score the ball around the rim, protect the rim and rebound the ball makes him an extremely valuable commodity and the Clippers salary cap position puts them in an awkward position, especially with the league getting continually smaller across the floor.
In saying this, Doc Rivers should absolutely offer the Cole Train the MLE following his output this season and pray that he is willing to (potentially) take less money to remain with the L.A. outfit.
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