Cole Aldrich stoked to be with Clippers after escape from New York

Cole Aldrich

Cole Aldrich/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

 

You have to wonder who might have been the happiest guy in the room Tuesday when the Clippers hosted a news conference at Staples Center to re-introduce DeAndre Jordan and Austin Rivers to L.A. reporters, as well as introduce newcomers Paul Pierce, Wesley Johnson, Josh Smith, Branden Dawson and Cole Aldrich.

Well, since Jordan just signed a four-year contract worth an estimated $88 to stay with the Clippers, he was probably the most stoked in a room that also included coach Doc Rivers. But Aldrich was, perhaps, almost as thrilled because he went from the rebuilding New York York Knicks to the contending Clippers in a New York minute.

“I love it,” said Aldrich, a 6-foot-11 post who will back up Jordan. “You know, going from New York last year, where we struggled, to being on a contending team, it’s going to be awesome. You’ve got a bunch of guys that are going to come in every day and work hard and have fun doing it.”

Aldrich, 26, played his college ball at Kansas. He has career scoring and rebounding averages of 3.1 and 3.4. But he’s coming off his best season, in which he averaged 5.5 points and 5.5 rebounds as well as 1.1 blocks.

Aldrich signed a two-year contract with a player option for the second season. He is slated to make the veterans’ minimum this coming season, which for him is $1,100,602.