Blazers sign F LaMarcus Aldridge to extension

Blazers sign Aldridge to extension

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers signed forward LaMarcus Aldridge to a five-year contract extension on Thursday.

The terms of the deal have not been announced. The team was in Vancouver, British Columbia, for an exhibition game against the Phoenix Suns.

The Blazers scheduled a news conference in Portland on Friday.

Aldridge, the second overall pick in the 2006 draft out of Texas, was acquired by the Blazers in a draft-day trade from the Chicago Bulls. Last season, he averaged 18.1 points and 7.5 rebounds.

“I’m really happy we got this done and now I’m really excited to get the season started,” he said in a statement.

For his career, Aldridge has averaged 15.4 points and 6.8 rebounds. He has started in 157 games.

The 6-foot-11 Dallas native was key to a young Blazers team that won 54 games last season and went to the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Portland fell in six games to the Houston Rockets in the first round.

Aldridge started all six playoff games, averaging 19.5 points and 7.5 rebounds.

“LaMarcus is the epitome of what we’re about. He’s a hardworking, committed and unselfish young man who plays the right way,” general manager Kevin Pritchard said.

The Blazers needed to strike a deal with Aldridge by Oct. 31 to prevent him from becoming a restricted free agent next summer.

His signing of an extension capped a busy day for the Blazers. Earlier, they waived forward Ime Udoka and center Jarron Collins, bringing their roster to 15 players for the start of the season next week.

Both Udoka and Collins were vying for the 15th spot, which went to draft pick Patty Mills, who is out with a broken foot.

Udoka has played five seasons in the NBA, including a previous stint in Portland. He averaged 6.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 18.8 minutes in five preseason games.

Collins, who played eight years with the Utah Jazz, played in four preseason games with an average of 3.5 points, two rebounds and 14 minutes.

Mills fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during practice in the offseason. It is not clear when he will return.

After starring for Australia in the Beijing Olympics and for Saint Mary’s in college, Mills was selected by the Blazers with the 55th overall pick in the NBA draft.

The 6-foot, 175-pound Mills averaged career highs of 18.7 points, 4.0 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 steals during his sophomore season with the Gaels before deciding to turn pro.