Los Angeles Clippers: Grading Free Agent Acquisitions

DeAndre Jordan

Jul 21, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan at press conference at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: A++++++

No one batted an eye when J.J. Redick graded the Clippers’ off-season an ‘F’ some weeks ago. The honesty came off as unfamiliar as the NBA is home to many players attempting to keep their public comments closer to bias than objective, but he was right — at the time, Jordan had committed himself to the Dallas Mavericks and because of such, the Clippers were screwed, regardless of what transaction the franchise would later make to fill the void.

So it only makes sense for Redick’s given ‘F’ to be flipped as Jordan reversed his decision to re-join the Clippers — or as Doc said during the team’s free agent introduction, “Jordan never truly left.”

Through all of the crazy, Jordan’s re-sign puts the Clippers’ off-season in a new light. What began to look as a wasted year, Jordan’s presence bolsters what each and every player on the team can bring. We know what he brings to this franchise after a career-best years with averages of 11 points and a league-leading 15 rebounds, as well as being voted third in Defensive Player of the Year voting and named to All-NBA Defense 1st team.

For a player who once couldn’t touch the floor in the fourth quarter, that’s progression, and if it continues and the new faces can play up to their reputation — or better — the franchise a step closer to securing a Larry O’Brien trophy.

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With numerous additions, now is the time for it all to come together. The core + new signees and re-signs make this the best Clippers team in the franchises history, at least from a pure talent perspective. It won’t mean anything if they can’t break new ground in the playoffs, but Doc Rivers has done the team justice in free agency, putting them on a path to succeed like no Clippers team has done in the past.