Aldridge latest big name to join Nets
The Nets aren’t finished bringing big names to Brooklyn.
LaMarcus Aldridge is next after deciding Saturday to sign with the Nets for the remainder of the season, according to reports.
Aldridge, who reached a buyout agreement with San Antonio on Thursday, joins a Nets team that has All-Stars Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving, and added a former one this
month when it signed Blake
Griffin.
Aldridge averaged 19.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in 51⁄2 seasons for the Spurs before they removed the 35year-old from the rotation this month while searching for a potential trade. None materialized before the deadline Thursday, so the
Spurs bought out Aldridge’s contract.
An All-Star in three of his seasons in San Antonio, Aldridge fills one of the few holes for the potent Nets. He can play power forward or center, giving Brooklyn a reliable post-up presence to play with its collection of outside threats.
Horford shelved
Oklahoma City said veteran center Al Horford will remain inactive for the rest of the season as the team’s young talent develops.
Horford, 34, is averaging 14.2 points and 6.7 rebounds. Former UCLA center Moses Brown, whom Horford has mentored, had 21 points and 23 rebounds Saturday in the Thunder’s 111-94 loss to Boston.
Saturday highlights
Nikola Vucevic points, nine rebounds and four assists in his Chicago debut, but the Bulls lost their third in a row, 120-104 to San Antonio . ... Kevin Porter Jr. scored 25 points in his return to Houston’s lineup, and the Rockets rebounded to beat Minnesota 129-107 one night after blowing a 29point lead to the Timberwolves . ... A night after passing Kevin Love for second in Timberwolves franchise history for rebounds, Karl-Anthony Towns passed Andrew Wiggins for second in scoring.
Etc.
New York center Mitchell Robinson suffered a broken right foot, in his fourth game back after missing 15 with a broken right hand . ... Dallas star Luka Doncic missed his second straight game because of an illness not related to COVID-19, the team said.