Popovich also revealed that Aldridge requested a trade last summer after a rough season. The coach talked the star big man out of his feelings after a few dinners and meetings. “I was very candid with him,” Popovich said. “I told him, `I’d be happy to trade you. You get me a talent like Kevin Durant, and I’ll drive you to the airport. I’ll pack your bags. And I will drive you there, get you on the plane and get you seated.’ He laughed, (and) I said, `But short of that, I’m your best buddy, because you’re here for another year, and you ain’t going nowhere. Because we’re not going to get for you talent-wise what we would want, so let’s figure this thing out.’ And we did.”
LakerTom (Publisher) 11:20 AM on January 12, 2018 Permalink
That was a great story, John. Pops said he never had a player tell him he wanted a trade before and that took him back. Never too old to learn and improve … even if you’re already a great one like Pops.