No more than one hour after the Dallas Mavericks were eliminated from the 2015 NBA Playoffs at the hands of in-state rivals the Houston Rockets, reports have begun churning the rumor mill: according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan is interested in the Mavericks as his free agency approaches.
LaMarcus Aldridge buzz has started, but another potential Mavs prime summer target: DeAndre Jordan, who has made it known he's interested.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 29, 2015
With Tyson Chandler, a 32-year-old unrestricted free agent this summer, there’s a chance Mark Cuban and company could move on to surround Dirk Nowitzki and Chandler Parsons with youth, and DeAndre Jordan certainly fits that mold at age 26.
The advantage Los Angeles holds over Dallas? Despite the cap rise, the general rules remain the same in regards to free agency and because of that, the Clippers will be allowed to offer Jordan one extra year on a max deal with 7.5% increases per year (it’s most likely if Jordan receives the max) as opposed to a four-year deal with 4.5% increases per year.
The Smoking Cuban
The one advantage Dallas holds over Los Angeles is the LeBron James factor as Jordan is a Texas (to be specific, Houston) native and could look to return home to play in front of friends and family.
Throughout the season, Jordan has been quite mum on his upcoming free agency, though the center expressed the want to experience it for a second time, with the first coming as a restricted free agent in 2011 (the Golden State Warriors offered DAJ a four-year, $43 million deal, but the Clippers matched a day later). “The team is great. The guys are great. We have great camaraderie. But the free agency process is definitely going to be a fun one,” said Jordan in a podcast interview with Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports. “I want to experience it and see what it’s like because before I was restricted so I just kind of had to wait it out. I definitely want to experience it, but I’m happy being a Clipper and I’ve been here for seven years, so this is definitely what I’m used to.”
If Jordan decides to leave the Clippers for the Mavericks or whomever, team president and head coach Doc Rivers will have his hands filled with finding a replacement. As of now, the only non-Jordan center the Clippers have under contract going into next season is Spencer Hawes who has fallen out of rotation as the season progressed. Per Basketball Insiders, the Clippers will enter the off-season with a salary cap of $58.125 million, not including cap holds and non-guaranteed deals (Hudson, Crawford, Hamilton, Barnes). Assuming both Crawford and Barnes return, that number increases to ~$67.34 million, nearly $12 million off the projected $81 million tax level line. While that’s not enough to draw in a marquee name at center, the Clippers, with good scouting, could bring in a mid-level center to replicate some or more of what Jordan can do on the defensive end of the floor.
Some names that come to mind after peaking at the 2015 free agent list includes the likes of Omer Asik (NOP), Robin Lopez (POR) or Kosta Koufos (MEM), and if they look to go for an offensive fit, Brandan Wright (PHX).
Of course, Jordan’s free agency is months away so worrying about the possibility of him leaving won’t happen until then. This is just a headstart on the many rumors that’ll be heard on the situation when the time comes.