LaMarcus Aldridge has revealed that the San Antonio Spurs made life easier for him to leave the Portland Trail Blazers.
The 29-year-old spent nine seasons in Portland, but agreed a four-year deal worth $80m (£51.5m) to join Gregg Popovich's men to compete for the NBA Championship next season.
Aldridge has admitted that it was a difficult decision to leave the Trail Blazers, but feels the conversations he had with Popovich and general manger RC Buford made the move simpler for him.
"When you're making such a big decision, you're never going to be 100% right away," Aldridge told reporters. "Leaving the organisation I was at for nine years, where I've had roots and I'm embedded in their history - it is never easy to leave.
"There were moments I did waver because I was leaving and going to something new. Talking to RC more, talking to Pop more, those guys made me feel comfortable. They made it feel like home. They made me feel safe to take this leap of faith that so far I've been fine with."
Aldridge has been named an NBA All-Star four times in his nine-year career.
Simon Sinclair
