Answering questions about DeAndre Jordan’s upcoming free agency

4 – How about sign-and-trading Jordan if he decides to leave?

Dec 31, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) and New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) go for a rebound in the second quarter of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

For sign-and-trades to happen, the permission of all parties involved is needed: the Clippers, whichever team Jordan decides to sign with (if he leaves), and Jordan.

It makes sense for why the Clippers would agree to a sign-and-trade: receiving talent back for a hot commodity in Jordan when  he’d otherwise waltz in free agency without returning compensation.

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For Jordan, it’s a matter of whether he wants to or not — if the rumors of him and Chris Paul‘s relationship deterring as the season played on are true, it’s possible he’d not want to help Paul and company in his leaving.

But for the team that acquires Jordan, it’s hard to see why they’d do such unless they’re saddled with unwanted deals. The New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers don’t need a sign-and-trade; they can sign Jordan to a max deal outright. Neither would the Dallas Mavericks or Portland Trail Blazers.

Of the three scenarios that could take place this summer — Jordan re-signing, Jordan leaving outright, and the Clippers and team X agreeing to a sign-and-trade — the sign-and-trade seems the most likely.