For so many years in Portland, nine to be exact, LaMarcus Aldridge was the focal point of an offense that relied heavily on its starters so it didn't have to turn to its bench. That resulted in huge minutes for the former No. 2 overall pick -- at least 34.9 per game over his final eight years with the Trail Blazers -- and a usage rate north of 24 in each of his last four seasons in the Rose City.
So when Aldridge left Portland for San Antonio over the summer, though his legacy as a Trail Blazer had ended, his reputation as a top-tier fantasy power forward lived on.
After all, he was coming off his best season as a pro, when he averaged 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds to go along with a career-best 84.5 free throw percentage and a new-found touch from beyond the 3-point arc (0.5 3PG).
If there was concern about how he'd blend in with Tim Duncan and David West in the Spurs rebuilt frontcourt, it certainly didn't impact where he was selected in fantasy drafts.
Aldridge's average draft position in ESPN leagues was 19.2, ranking ahead of players like Paul Millsap (23.6), Draymond Green (25.7), Hassan Whiteside (31.7), Andre Drummond (32.1) and Kevin Love (33.3), just to name a few.
That's what makes Aldridge's disappointing month of November so frustrating for some -- it was so easy to see coming.