Power Ranking Every Clippers Player: Who’s Their MVP?

3rd: DeAndre Jordan

May 17, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) reacts after a play during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets in game seven of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Now that we’ve reached the Big 3, this is where things get really interesting when breaking down the Clippers’ roster based on each player’s value.

There’s a case that could be made to put DeAndre Jordan at the top of this list, simply because without him the Clippers’ interior defense and rebounding would be lost. Yes, he can’t shoot free throws and yes, he has no kind of post-up game. No one is perfect. That doesn’t mean that Jordan doesn’t excel in other areas of the game.

Specifically, those areas of ability for DeAndre come through the air at both ends of the floor.

The numbers and details behind Jordan’s defensive impact could be talked about for ages, but this list isn’t going to describe every nitty gritty detail. Simply put, he honed all his physical tools and mental instincts last season to become an All-Defensive first team center, which immediately ranks him above most of the league’s big men.

To put his performance into context, though, a few key statistics have to be mentioned. With 2.2 blocks, a league best field goal percentage of 71 due to his endless dunks, a league leading 15 rebounds per game and ranking 5th in overall win shares (12.8) take Jordan’s worth to an immense level.

The panic that was caused by his near departure to the Dallas Mavericks can remind everyone just how important Jordan really is to this team. He may be critiqued for lacking skill, but he more than makes up for it by how he anchors the Clippers’ defense.

If he didn’t have two of the league’s biggest superstars on his team, he could be the most important player on a franchise.

Next: Blake or CP3?