3 teams that could pursue LaMarcus Aldridge

The dawn of a new NBA campaign means rumor season is back in full swing, and the past week has seen LaMarcus Aldridge's name bandied about. ESPN's Zach Lowe first suggested the Spurs could take calls on the power forward, before CSN's Jackie MacMullan reported on Tuesday that Aldridge may not finish the season in San Antonio.

There's been suggestions that Aldridge isn't enamored with his offensive fit in San Antonio since signing a four-year, $84-million pact in his home state last offseason.

While it's fair to question the sort of player who would have issues integrating into Gregg Popovich's universally respected system, here are three expected suitors if Aldridge is really on the block.

Boston Celtics

Now that Boston has landed an All-Star caliber player - and a big man at that - in Al Horford, you would think it would shy away from another mid-range specialist like Aldridge.

Not necessarily so, according to MacMullan, who points out that Boston will remain a perpetual trade candidate this season, considering it holds the right to swap draft picks next June with the woeful Brooklyn Nets, and has a sudden glut of backcourt players due to Terry Rozier's emergence.

It's worth remembering that Aldridge can opt out of his deal after next season, wherever he is.

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors should be kicking the tires on an upgrade at power forward this season, unless former Celtic Jared Sullinger vastly exceeds expectations.

While Aldridge doesn't exactly fit the modern-day stretch-four prototype (he didn't sink a single 3-pointer in the 2015-16 regular season), Toronto GM Masai Ujiri had interest during last summer's free agency, which left an impression. "There was a genuine spirit about him that made me more interested in Toronto," Aldridge later told The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Raptors have also long been interested in Atlanta Hawks power forward Paul Millsap, and any big trade involving Toronto will likely include the inconsistent Terrence Ross, and at least one of the Raptors' likely two first-round draft picks next June. And that's just to start.

New York Knicks

Knicks observers who consider themselves basketball progressives are undoubtedly concerned that Aldridge is much-maligned team president Phil Jackson's type of player - an old-school big who fills Pau Gasol's role in the triangle. New coach Jeff Hornacek was also part of the delegation that almost convinced Aldridge to join the Phoenix Suns two summers ago.

Holding the Knicks back, as usual, is a lack of trade assets. This led one NBA writer to simply throw out the idea of putting Kristaps Porzingis on the block - a bad suggestion for shell-shocked Knickerbocker fans.