Phoenix Suns make big pitch for LaMarcus Aldridge

The Suns could not just walk into a Wednesday meeting with the NBA's most-coveted available free agent lugging a five-year playoff absence and expect to be contenders.

To land LaMarcus Aldridge, the Suns had to rattle Aldridge with something creative and impactful that could make up ground on frontrunner San Antonio and Aldridge's other home state teams, Dallas and Houston.

UPDATE: Suns trade Marcus Morris, Bullock, Granger to create room for Aldridge

The Suns came out of the free agency gates strongly with contract agreements for Brandon Knight (five years, $70 million) and Tyson Chandler (four years, $52 million) and an eight-man, two-hour presentation that put the Suns in the Aldridge race.

RELATED: Suns agree to contracts with Tyson Chandler, Brandon Knight

If the Suns can close to overtake the Spurs, it might be because Aldridge will get to play exclusively at power forward now that the Suns fortified Alex Len's company at center with Chandler, a much-needed veteran leader and quality defender and rebounder who Aldridge has wanted to join. It might be because Aldridge can be the face of the franchise as the Suns' biggest signing since Steve Nash in 2004. It might be because his skilled big man game fits the Suns well with two playmaking guards and now defensive-oriented, pick-and-roll center. It might be because he believes in the long-term prospect of a team whose top players, Bledsoe and Knight, are 25 and 23 years old, respectively.

The Suns could not afford to leave Aldridge wanting for anything. They executed a plan that not only had Knight and Chandler immediately aboard but included the duo in recruiting Aldridge at his agent's Los Angeles office.

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The Suns gave Aldridge each franchise perspective in separate meetings over two hours, going from ownership (Managing Partner Robert Sarver) to management (President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby and Ryan McDonough) to coaching (head coach Jeff Hornacek and new assistant coach Earl Watson, a 2013-14 Portland teammate of Aldridge) to players (Chandler, Knight and Eric Bledsoe).

Bledsoe's presence was significant to quell misplaced rumors that Bledsoe would be traded to make room for Aldridge. The Suns would need to make moves to create the max space. One of the Suns most attractive trade pieces, P.J. Tucker, was a two-year Texas teammate of Aldridge but curiously was in Phoenix on Wednesday rather than the Aldridge meeting. Markieff Morris has improved each season to make his contract a good value but Aldridge would replace him in the starting lineup. Morris' reputation has been marred by an aggravated assault charge, a rash of technical fouls and criticism of Suns fans.

BOIVIN: Addition of Chandler makes sense for Suns

One Suns cap-hold domino fell Wednesday when free agent Brandan Wright committed to Memphis (three years, $18 million).

Knight, as a restricted free agent, can be signed last and allow the Suns to exceed the cap. With about $13 million of salary-cap space and a $5.5 million exception from the Goran Dragic trade, the Suns still would need to do more to create room for Chandler and Aldridge before players can start signing contracts July 9.

The Suns could also explore a sign-and-trade deal with Portland (with Aldridge) or Dallas (with Chandler) so that those teams could get the return of Suns players and/or draft picks (the Suns have five first-rounders in the next three years). The Blazers do not seem interested in that, leaving Aldridge with the option of signing a four-year, $80 million deal with another team or taking a shorter deal to take advantage of the large salary-cap jumps coming in 2016 and 2017. If he signed a one-year, $19 million for this season, he would then be a 10-year veteran to make him eligible for 35 percent of the salary cap and a four-year, $145 million deal next summer.

Even with all that, it will be difficult to pry him from San Antonio, where the former Longhorn and Dallas native can play for an instant contender, reunite with former teammates Ime Udoka and Patty Mills and be close to two children and his mother in Texas. Aldridge is scheduled to meet seven teams (Lakers, Rockets, Spurs, Suns, Mavericks, Raptors and Knicks) before narrowing his choices and revisiting the finalists.

Aldridge, who turns 30 on July 19, is a 6-foot-11, 240-pound power forward who has been an All-Star in the past four seasons, including an All-NBA second-team selection this year. He only has played for Portland in a nine-year career, averaging a career-high 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds last season while introducing a 3-point threat last season at 35 percent.

Chandler also brings credibility to the Suns. In a 14-year, five-team career, Chandler also was an All-Star (2013) and an All-NBA pick (third team, 2012). He was Defensive Player of the Year in 2011-12 and has won gold medals with Team USA in the 2011 World Championship and 2012 Olympics.

Profile: Tyson Chandler

The 7-1, 235-pound center will turn 33 before next season starts. That makes him 37 for the final year of the deal, a factor soothed by the abilities of the Suns athletic trainers. Chandler's results have not slowed. Chandler ranked fifth in the NBA last season, giving him six top-10 rebounding seasons. He is selective and efficient offensively, dunking 179 times last season for 43 percent of his shot attempts as a pick-and-roll threat the Suns have lacked. Only seven other NBA players averaged a double-double and one block per game last season.

More importantly, Chandler is not a reluctant leader. He is respected on and off the court and will give the Suns the guidance that even their wayward young players admitted that they needed in exit interviews.

Even if the Suns do not land Aldridge, they believe in how Chandler will help the team. Alex Len, 22, started 44 games last season but only averaged 24 minutes when he did and is still developing, something that could be enhanced by Chandler.

The Suns polished off Knight's new deal over a late night dinner Tuesday night, a stark contrast to the summer-long standoff the Suns had with Bledsoe as a restricted free agent last year. The conclusion was identical — a five-year, $70 million deal. Knight, at 23, is considered a future leader, too, who can return to the All-Star candidate status he had last season in Milwaukee now that he is healthy and better acclimated to a new system.

Reach Paul Coro at paul.coro@arizonarepublic.com . Follow him at twitter.com/paulcoro.

Notable free agent signings in Suns history: