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Rumor: DeAndre Jordan ‘torn’ between Mavs, Clippers?

By Trisity Miller

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The recruiting trail is almost over.

After the Mavericks, Lakers and Knicks, the Clippers finally got their time with unrestricted free agent DeAndre Jordan, with the meeting beginning at 5:00 p.m. California time.

The good news? No LaMarcus Aldridge-Lakers-esque reports have emerged saying the Clippers did a piss poor job in recruiting the player they’ve helped grow into one of the league’s best defenders. Per reports, no players were in attendance during Jordan’s meeting; only the team brass: Doc Rivers, head coach and team president, Gillian Zucker, president of business operations, Dave Wohl and Gary Saks, execs, and the one-and-only Steve Ballmer, team owner.

The benefits of familiarity put the Clippers brass in a position where they’re able to lay everything on the table, not needing to discuss anything outside of Jordan’s place on the court. The two sides know each other. Jordan knows how he fits in Doc Rivers’ system and is fully aware of the improvements he’s made since Rivers’ arrival in 2013 . There won’t be a trial period where the team figures out how good they are/can be with Jordan — the two sides already know: at best, a NBA championship with Jordan anchoring the defense; worst-case scenario, a second-round out … again. The worries of chemistry? Jordan knows how he meshes with the current cast of Clippers player — he reportedly gets along well with Blake Griffin and isn’t as close with Chris Paul (they spoke on that in the meeting, per Turner).

The more interesting tidbit to emerge post-Jordan’s meeting with the Clippers is Adrian Wojnarowski’s report of DAJ being “torn” between the Clippers and Mavericks.

Technically this report isn’t new. Coming into free agency, there were many mentions of Dallas and Los Angeles (C) having the upper-hand in securing Jordan’s talents for the next four or five years. But him remaining in the same position following meetings with both teams (two with Dallas, plus heavy recruitment from Chandler Parsons before the start of free agency) means there’s a real chance Jordan could be in Dallas come the start of the season, leaving the Clippers to fend for a replacement with very few avenues to improve drastically.

But we won’t know until Jordan makes his decision. As stated in several posts before this one — especially with the meetings done — there’s nothing more the Clippers can do to woo Jordan. The lone advantage in being able to offer a five-year deal? If reports are correct, Jordan will sign a four-year deal, putting the Clippers on a level playing field as the Mavs, Lakers, and Knicks in regards to finances. Everything else? It’s on Jordan.

Now we wait.

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