Report: Aldridge to meet 7 teams in L.A. the moment free agency opens

For free agents focused primarily on winning, the Eastern Conference's facile path to the NBA Finals may prove attractive.

So while LaMarcus Aldridge is being courted by several marquee Western Conference teams - those with championship pedigree, or a great market, or both - he'll also be giving at least two East teams the courtesy of a meeting.

The four-time All-Star will meet with the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, and New York Knicks, in that order, beginning at the stroke of midnight (or 9:01 local time) on Wednesday in L.A., according to NBA TV's David Aldridge.

The Portland Trail Blazers, with whom the power forward has spent his entire nine-year career, have already made their offer, according to the report.

When the Spurs' pitch comes around Wednesday, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker are expected to be joined by coach Gregg Popovich in making the presentation, according to Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears.

The Spurs have long been considered favorites to land Aldridge, but Duncan has yet to publicly confirm he will return for a 19th NBA season next year. Previous reports have had the Spurs working quickly to sign Kawhi Leonard to a max extension in order to make him part of the recruitment process, but it appears Aldridge plans to move too swiftly through the sales pitches, at least for the initial round.

Somewhat surprising in their inclusion on the list of suitors are the Rockets. Over the weekend, general manager Daryl Morey conceded it would be "unlikely" for Houston to land a top-tier free agent this summer given their salary cap constraints. They would need to clear salary in order to offer the max

Also somewhat unexpected among the list of teams set to meet with the maestro of the mid-range are the Raptors and Suns. Aldridge is said to have interest in Toronto, and the recent trade of Greivis Vasquez has made it such that the Raptors can maneuver enough cap space to offer Aldridge a maximum contract starting at an estimated $18.9 million.

The Raptors haven't always been a marquee free-agent destination - until Kyle Lowry chose to re-up there last summer - but they play in a terrific city, would maintain roster and cap flexibility even after signing Aldridge - hello, Wes Matthews - and can offer an easier path to playoff contention than their West counterparts.

The Knicks can also boast flexibility in the East, and have the added recruiting tool of superstar Carmelo Anthony. The team has less in place than the Raptors, and just drafted a power forward in Kristaps Porzingis, but the chance to play in Gotham alongside an All-Star, with more potential cap space in 2016, may be intriguing to Aldridge.

The Knicks are believed to be somewhat of a long-shot, but Anthony has reached out and the Knicks are on the meeting list, according to a report from ESPN. Even last is better than not on the list at all.

While the Blazers have maintained Aldridge isn't necessarily going anywhere, the amount of due diligence he's conducting speaks volumes. Portland can offer a larger contract - five years and roughly $108.7 million compared to four years and an estimated $80.7 million for others - but they may be amenable to a sign-and-trade that would bring back an asset while helping Aldridge maximize his earnings on a four-year deal.