DeAndre Jordan and the LA Clippers: Does a reunion make sense?

With rumors that DeAndre Jordan could be bought out by the New York Knicks, does it make sense for the LA Clippers to bring him back into the fold?

The longest tenured player in LA Clippers’ history could possibly end up right back on the team after leaving in free agency this summer.  According to Dan Woike of the LA Times, there could be mutual interest between the team and DeAndre Jordan should he be bought out after the trade deadline.

"A reunion with the Clippers is a definite possibility. The team could use more rebounding, and Jordan could rebuild some of his defensive reputation by helping the Clippers in an area where they struggle.Jordan would like to return to Los Angeles, and he’s still close with coach Doc Rivers. Some NBA scouts believe a pairing with the Lakers, perhaps next summer, makes sense for Jordan, too."

Money wise, bringing in Jordan wouldn’t be an issue. If he is waived by New York, they would still have to pay the remainder of his contract while he could sign with any team (other than Dallas) for a veteran’s minimum. The Clippers would have to either waive a player or trade one in order to fit him into the roster, but Milos Teodosic seems like the prime candidate for either option.

There was no hostility between the Clippers and Jordan after his departure and a reunion definitely does seem in play. As Woike notes, LA is in severe need of help with rebounding. The team ranks 22nd in both defensive and offensive rebound percentage. Jordan himself ranks 10th in the league in rebound percentage.

Defensively, his presence would be a huge upgrade for the team who currently has little to no reim protection. Marcin Gortat has never been an elite defender, Montrezl Harrell is undersized for the center position and Boban Marjanovic is incapable of switching onto smaller players. DJ has the defensive reputation, size and mobility that the team lacks. That’s not to say he’s the perfect candidate though.

While some of his athleticism has faded as he is on the wrong side of 30, Jordan’s real issue this season has been a lack of effort. Clipper fans experienced some of this last season, but his time on the Mavericks had him in the media several times for lack of trying.

Perhaps being traded for the first time in his career while once again facing free agency will motivate him, but that is not a guarantee. Still, with the current starting center for the Clips being Marcin Gortat (at least, most of the time), Jordan would still be an improvement both on the glass and defensively. His familiarity with the team is also invaluable as he could come in and already have chemistry with most of the roster.

The biggest issue, in my opinion, would be the effect that Jordan’s return would have on Montrezl Harrell. Trezz is having a remarkable season and has earned every one of his 26.2 minutes per game. However, Doc Rivers is renowned for over playing his former players once he reacquires them, so there is some worry that DJ would eat into Harrell’s minutes. This could be especially bad come crunch time, as Harrell has been part of some of the team’s most effective lineups.

Ultimately, bringing in Jordan would still be right for the team as they make a late season push to stay in playoff contention, so long as it is just for the remainder of this season.

So far, LA has maintained their cap space and is in line to bring in a couple of big name players during the off-season, including Nikola Vucevic, who would solve some of the team’s center woes. Spending money in free agency is ultimately a better choice than keeping Jordan long-term.

We may get a reunion with DeAndre to the benefit of both parties, but let’s just hope it’s not at the loss of valuable cap space come this July.