It is a time-honored tradition that fans shower a former player with boos the moment he returns to his former city. Vince Carter, to this day, still receives a smattering of boos every time he touches the ball north of Lake Ontario. LaMarcus Aldridge, the newest San Antonio Spur and former Portland Trail Blazer, recognizes this tradition, and expects nothing less from Blazer fans when he returns to Portland, as he said on ESPN Radio’s “The Rusillo Show” (via Michael Wright):
“I think going back [to Portland] my first time might be boos because I think people are really hurt by my decision. They don’t understand why I left. So I think my first game back, I probably will be booed.”
Aldridge is probably right. After all, the loss of the sweet-shooting all-star power forward was a devastating blow to the Blazers, who went from the cusp of title contention to another rebuilding Western Conference team with a scant chance of even finishing in the top eight. Perhaps none of this would have happened had Wesley Matthews not torn his Achilles towards the end of the 2014-15 season, but there’s no way of knowing for certain.
What Aldridge gets wrong is when he says fans don’t understand why he left. Implicit in his decision to sign with the Spurs was also the rationale: he didn’t want to be part of another rebuild; Texas is his native state, closer to his hometown; plus, the Spurs offer him the best chance at a title. The boos will inevitably rain down on Aldridge at the Moda Center, and they’ll haven been born out of frustration, anger and sadness, but not misunderstanding.
(ESPN)
