LaMarcus Alridge denies he requested a trade

Pump the brakes on LaMarcus Aldridge wanting out of Portland. That's according to Aldridge anyways. After days of reports that the All-Star power forward wanted out of Portland, Aldridge told Joe Freeman of OregonLive.com that he hasn't requested a trade out of the Pacific Northwest.

Aldridge's name began surfacing in trade rumors when the Cleveland Cavaliers inquired about him in a package centered around the first pick in last Thursday's draft. Then there was another report that Aldridge wanted out and, more specifically, wanted to play for the Chicago Bulls. Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald reported that the Blazers wanted Joakim Noah in return for Aldridge and that they wouldn't accept a package involving Luol Deng.

The Blazers drafted C.J. McCollum, Allen Crabbe and Jeff Withey in last Thursday's draft, three experienced college players that should be able to contribute off the bench next season. Portland also has around $14 million in salary cap room and have already been linked to San Antonio Spurs center Tiago Splitter and Minnesota Timbervolves center Nikola Pekovic.