Blazers vs Toronto Raptors

Portland Trail Blazers free agent forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) will reportedly meet with the Toronto Raptors when the NBA free agency period begins on July 1.

(Bruce Ely / The Oregonian)

Trail Blazers free agent LaMarcus Aldridge is certain to have plenty of teams interested in his services when the NBA's free agency periods opens on July 1.

Blazers President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey said as much last week when asked about the Aldridge's looming decision.

"We've always know that LaMarcus was going to have a robust free agent market," said Olshey. "It was a market we were going to compete in. It's a market we're still going to compete in."

The San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to Aldridge for months, but two more suitors have emerged just one day before free agency starts.

The New York Knicks will meet with Aldridge in the first week of July, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN:

While the Knicks are considered long shots to land either Aldridge or [Clippers free agent center DeAndre] Jordan, sources said they are in each player's top four

Aldridge, who sources say is all but certain to leave Portland, will also meet with the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers.

Broussard also reports that the Knicks are pursuing two other Blazers free agents in Arron Afflalo and Wesley Matthews. New York's Carmelo Anthony reportedly already called Afflalo in effort to recruit him to join the Knicks. Afflalo became a free agent last week when he did not exercise a player-option in his contract to stay with the Blazers for the 2015-16 season.

Broussard's report seems to suggest that Afflalo is higher on the Knicks list than Matthews who "eventually will meet" with the team.

The Knicks aren't the only Eastern Conference team joining in on free agency frenzy. The Toronto Raptors are also planning to pursue Aldridge, according to Shams Charania of RealGM:

LaMarcus Aldridge plans to give the Raptors a meeting this week, sources tell RealGM. Aldridge has interest in TOR, which has max space. — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2015

The Raptors could have as much as $21 million in cap space to spend this summer. Toronto needs major help in the frontcourt as Patrick Patterson and Jonas Valanciunas are the only true big men with guaranteed contracts for next season.

Charania also reports Aldridge is considering meeting the Houston Rockets, but Houston would have to clear over $10 million in salary in order to offer Aldridge a max contract.

Olshey said in May he expected "29 other teams" to be interested in Aldridge and the way things are heating up in the final days of June that prediction doesn't look far off.

NBA free agency begins on July 1. Players can sign contracts starting July 9.

-- Mike Richman | mrichman@oregonian.com |@mikegrich