Report: DeAndre Jordan wants four-year contract, bigger role within offense
DeAndre Jordan will become a free agent when his contract runs out Wednesday and he hits the open market. Even a couple of months ago, it seemed like a guarantee he'd re-sign with the Clippers. Now, that's not so.
ESPN's Chris Broussard has more:
Free agent DeAndre Jordan is likely looking to sign a four-year deal that allows him to opt out after three seasons, which would nullify the Los Angeles Clippers' advantage in keeping the center, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
The Clippers could offer Jordan a deal that includes a fifth year worth $27 million.
Sources, though, told ESPN that Jordan wants a bigger role in the offense and is tired of being a third wheel behind Chris Paul and Blake Griffin with the team.
Jordan will meet with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks and the Clippers once free agency begins Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. ET, sources told ESPN.
Sources had told ESPN.com earlier this week that the Mavericks are considered the likeliest team to persuade Jordan to leave the Clippers, and a source close to the situation told ESPN on Tuesday that it's "50/50" between the two teams.
The Clips can still offer D.J. a little more money in years two, three and four of a deal, even if the fifth year doesn't make a difference. The "role in the offense" part is pretty strange, though.
Dallas coach Rick Carlisle uses is bigs supremely similarly to how Jordan has been used in the Clippers offense under Doc Rivers. Check out Tyson Chandler's or Brandan Wright's games for reference: lots of pick-and-roll, offensive put-backs, lobs and finishing. Jordan would be perfect for that, as he is in L.A., but an expanded role inside the offense seems odd for him to want considering his lack of skills in the post and his unacceptable free-throw shooting. Why wouldn't you just foul Jordan every time he got close to the rim with the ball?
Back in the Vinny Del Negro era, the Clippers used to give Jordan the occasional post-up opportunity, usually at the beginning of games. That was when Jordan appeared to have a jolt of energy on defense if he was scoring on the other end. Of course, that's no longer the case. He game has come a long way since the days of VDN, which seem so much further in the past than just three years ago.
If D.J. merely wants a few post touches a game, then that's not unreasonable, even if it is far from what his offensive skill set would call for. Players—even the most unselfish ones—have egos, and sometimes, those personality traits need to be acknowledged, even if it takes a certain lack of self-awareness for Jordan to think of himself as an offensive force with the ball.
That said, maybe I—and everyone else—am misinterpreting what "role" in the offense means. Maybe there's some other weird quirk D.J. desires, and it has little to do with creating scoring opportunities for him. Maybe he just wants to be the focal point of the pick-and-rolls he constantly runs with Chris Paul instead of being a decoy to drive the defense to the middle of the floor. Maybe he'd rather receive a couple more contested lob opportunities than let CP operate more surgically inside the offense.
It's important to note that these sorts of story lines are a theme with clients of well-known agent Dan Fegan. Fegan's clients have a history of leaving one destination for another, and the agent has a very strong relationship with Mavs owner Mark Cuban. Two of his clients, Chandler Parsons and J.J. Barea, played in Dallas this past season.
Either way, this is getting weird. Clippers fans must be nervous.
(H/t to ESPN's Chris Broussard.)
