The Suns have not vied with San Antonio for something this significant since the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.
The stakes this time are the services of All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, this summer's most-sought available free agent. There is more than the Suns' salary-dumping Thursday trade of Marcus Morris, Danny Granger and Reggie Bullock to indicate the Suns are truly in a duel for Aldridge.
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What the Suns did Wednesday, from locking up Tyson Chandler and Brandon Knight to making a persuasive pitch, got the attention of Aldridge and has sources from both sides believing the Suns have become the frontrunning Spurs' biggest challenge.