Despite DeAndre Jordan being the final player left on the Los Angeles Clippers from the original core with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, the smart move this offseason is to let him walk.
The Los Angeles Clippers shouldn’t re-sign DeAndre Jordan this summer. This statement is completely debatable, so I will provide several reasons in support of letting the big man walk.
He’s too expensive
This is perhaps the best reason to not pursue DJ in the offseason. His last contract was for 4-years, $87.6 million dollars with a player option for the 2018-2019 season. He is easily worth a similar payment, and possibly even more money. The problem is that he has a 24.1 million dollar option for the next season and he is likely to not opt in. Jordan is probably seeking a maximum contract.
Based on his achievements and the fact that he has spent all 10 of his seasons with the Clippers, he is worth that sort of contract. However, if you judge DeAndre Jordan as a free agent rather than a former Clippers player, as you should if he does not take his player option, is he honestly worth $150+ million dollars? He is likely not.
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What will he bring to the team?
Jordan is extremely effective in the categories of defense, pick and roll offense, and rebounding. He makes a case to be the best center in the league, leading in each of these stats every season. His consistency and health as a player are priceless, but Jordan has already hit his ceiling as a player.
If Jordan is signed to a fresh, larger contract, will fans see improvements in his game? Will a mid-range jump shot or post moves be brought onto the court for the 29-year-old center? We’ve stayed hopeful for Jordan to figure out more ways to contribute and score, yet we have been let down with the same limited starting center every season.
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Is DJ Necessary for the Clippers’ Success?
The broken record plays “this is a new era of NBA basketball, an era based on three-point scoring and position-less lineups.” You may not like broken records, but this one plays a true tune. Players nearing heights of seven feet and higher are breaking ankles and hitting three’s. Point guards are out-rebounding centers. Once these facts are accepted, it can be seen that having a strict big man in the paint is not the only way for a team to succeed in the modern league. DeAndre Jordan is no longer needed for the Clippers to succeed.
The team has already made moves to stack their roster with guards and forwards who can fill guard positions. Like it or not, this team can and will be able to succeed without DeAndre Jordan. That much is possible. The Clippers finished the 2017-2019 season with 42 wins and 40 losses. DeAndre Jordan missed just five games. The Clippers won three of the five games DJ missed and lost 40 of the 77 games he did participate in. There is clearly room for improvement from the LA Clippers, and this improvement can happen with or without DeAndre Jordan.
In conclusion, DeAndre Jordan has reached his ceiling as an NBA player and will not bring anything new to the table for the Clippers, yet he will likely be looking for a larger contract. While it would hurt to lose another original member of the team, it may be what is truly best for the franchise. DeAndre Jordan has been through complicated situations in the past year regarding who he plays for in the future. There have been rumors of trades and now there is controversy over what both he and the team will do concerning a contract in the offseason. Fans may have to deal with DJ’s departure soon and know that it might be what is best for the Los Angeles Clippers franchise.