Lakers' meeting with LaMarcus Aldridge reportedly went 'really well'

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The Los Angeles Lakers pulled out all the stops, going so far as to create a hashtag for their marquee free-agent target.

The club met with free-agent power forward LaMarcus Aldridge as the clock struck midnight on the East Coast on July 1, and as far as meetings go, it was apparently a good one. The face-to-face session lasted two hours and went "really well," reported ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

Shelburne writes:

The Lakers, sources added, firmly believe they will now be in the Aldridge hunt. And there is a rising sentiment, sources said, that the Lakers have edged past the Mavericks on Aldridge's wish list even though he was a high school star in Dallas.

The two sides didn't agree to a deal, as Aldridge is set to meet with six other clubs over the coming days, but the Lakers are feeling good. And feeling good is important.

Even Kobe Bryant was on his best behavior:

Aldridge is said to have met with the Houston Rockets immediately after the Lakers (a seemingly tough act to follow), and the rest of his meetings are set for reasonable hours Wednesday. The New York Knicks have the final meeting on Thursday, and the chances of Aldridge staying with the Portland Trail Blazers are "very unlikely," according to ESPN.

Portland can offer a fifth year and larger annual raises than other suitors, and if Aldridge is set to walk, they may be amenable to a sign-and-trade to recoup an asset or two. That wouldn't let Aldridge get a fifth year, but he could get larger annual raises in that case, and an acquiring team could conceivably maintain more flexibility by proceeding in that manner.

The San Antonio Spurs are still believed to be the front-runner for Aldridge, and Tuesday's news that the salary cap could be higher than anticipated does San Antonio a small favor.

The 29-year-old averaged a career-high 23.4 points last season, adding 10.2 rebounds, one block, and his fourth All-Star appearance. The maestro of the mid-range is one of the most deadly and versatile frontcourt scorers in the league, with a lethal elbow jumper, a terrific post game, and solid defense.

The LA Daily News' Mark Medina has more on the literal party that met with Aldridge and is set to meet with several other free-agent targets:

The familiar attendees included Lakers guard Bryant, president Jeanie Buss, general manager Mitch Kupchak, executive Jim Buss, coach Byron Scott and former Lakers forward James Worthy, according to a league source familiar with the Lakers’ plans. Lakers assistant general manager Glenn Carraro, senior vice president of business operations Tim Harris, team publicist John Black and representatives from Time Warner Cable SportsNet and AEG also attended, according to the league source.

The Lakers are all business at the moment, and Kupchak, Scott, Harris, Carraro, and Black hopped on a plane after meeting with Aldridge, a red-eye flight to Washington, D.C., where they're scheduled to meet with another big man Wednesday, free agent Greg Monroe.

Once that meeting concludes, the Lakers' contingent will board another flight headed west back to Los Angeles, where they'll continue the free-agency party with DeAndre Jordan.

The Lakers will reportedly meet with Kevin Love at some point this week, too, because there's no time to waste, and no stone to be left unturned.

Seriously: