Most teams are wary about the health of their players, so as far as the San Antonio Spurs are concerned, making sure that their players, old and new, are fit and prim for practice is a must.
That applies to even their biggest catch of the National Basketball Association (NBA) offseason — LaMarcus Aldridge.
Aldridge was, apparently, looking to buckle down to business as he learns the ropes of the Spurs. However, there was one requirement by coach Gregg Popovich he did not satisfy — being 100% healthy.
Apparently, Aldridge is nursing a strained iliotibial (IT) band, so the power forward was forced to sit out practice.
It wasn't exactly the kind of welcome that Aldridge was expecting, but then again, the 30-year-old native of Dallas, Texas may have read in the past that the Spurs has been known to rest players, especially if they are not in full health.
The scenario is nothing new and something that Aldridge may need to get used to. That includes the regular season where Popovich has had the knack for not risking players with injuries as he looks more on long-term rather than a wait-and-see approach. Considering that this is training camp, it would be in the best interest of both sides to sit it out at least for now.
Regardless, Aldridge should be thankful for such since it means that the Spurs intend to look out for his interest just like any player on the Spurs roster.
But once he is up and about, Aldridge should be just fine with marked improvements once coach Popovich buckles down to work with him.
Through the season, such should not be a frustration on his part. Aldridge is expected to want to play even through injury, but sadly, that is not how the Spurs operate.
As coach Popovich put it, "Welcome to the Spurs!"
