While the Lakers are desperately trying to rectify things with LaMarcus Aldridge following a disastrous first meeting, it seems like the Knicks won’t even get an initial shot at recruiting the league’s top free agent. NBA.com’s David Aldridge (no relation) is reporting that the scheduled meeting with the Knicks has been cancelled.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings: LaMarcus Aldridge has cancelled his meeting with the Knicks today, per source.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) July 2, 2015
Knicks meeting was cancelled once it became clear NY wanted Aldridge to play center, something he is adamant against doing, per source.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) July 2, 2015
This isn’t really a surprise at this point. Aldridge has hated playing center his entire career — it’s why he pushed the Blazers so hard to acquire Robin Lopez in the summer of 2013. And if he was underwhelmed by the Lakers’ basketball presentation, the Knicks are in just as bad of shape or worse, with an aging Carmelo Anthony and not much else on the roster. They were never going to get him if his focus is on winning. Going through with the meeting would have been a waste of everybody’s time.