Best Potential Landing Spots for DeAndre Jordan in 2015 NBA Free Agency
The free-agent market for high-flying center DeAndre Jordan is shaping up to be as lucrative as he is athletic.
Turns out if you can slam everything in sight, clean the glass until it sparkles and cut an intimidating figure on the defensive interior, teams are more than willing to overlook your offensive limitations and historically significant struggles at the foul line.
The NBA might be buzzing about versatility, but there's still plenty to be said for someone like Jordan. The 26-year-old has fully embraced his niche, which allowed him to be the first player since Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain to lead the league in field-goal percentage and rebounding for two consecutive seasons—not bad for a former second-round pick, right?
Jordan has the length, mobility and explosiveness to create two-way havoc. It's no wonder, then, that numerous suitors have filled his free-agency dance card. He reportedly has Wednesday meetings set with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks, per Ben Bolch and Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, then a Thursday get-together scheduled with the Los Angeles Clippers.
All four could be construed as realistic landing spots—even if a couple might be included to grant Jordan some extra leverage at the negotiating table. With those four options in mind, here's an ascending look at the desirability of each one.
New York Knicks
The Knicks have as little as $31.1 million committed to next season's payroll. New York has the flexibility to chase a notable name, plus the typical built-in advantages—major market, business opportunities, Madison Square Garden, etc.—that seemingly always connect this organization to every available free agent.
But what else can the Knicks really sell: Carmelo Anthony's scoring, Kristaps Porzingis' upside, the jewelry won by coach Derek Fisher and president of basketball operations Phil Jackson before accepting their current posts? Apparently, New York has a different pitch in mind.
"New York's pitch to Jordan will be that he would be the team's second option behind Anthony," sources told ESPN.com's Chris Broussard.
On the surface, that message should be well-received by Jordan. League officials told Turner that Jordan "wants to be more involved in the offense and wants to be an All-Star."
But being the No. 2 option on the Knicks may not mean a lot.
The best non-Melo scorers on this past season's 17-win team were Andrea Bargnani and Alexey Shved at 14.8 points per game. Jordan wasn't far removed from that number (11.5 points per game). And it's not like the triangle offense's demand for a super-skilled big can move the needle for someone who generated nearly 95 percent of his 437 field goals on dunks (292), layups (90) and tip-ins (33).
As Frank Isola of the New York Daily News opined, Jordan is sure to hear a better pitch than the Knicks' best offer:
Even the Staples Center's other tenants could have more success catching Jordan's ear.
Chance of Getting Jordan: 2.5 Percent
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers could offer Jordan a fresh start without demanding any other major changes. He could keep himself in the warm-weather, opportunity-rich LA market and would still report to the same home arena.
The Lakers are also deeper into the rebuilding process than the Knicks. Between rookie D'Angelo Russell (the second overall selection in the 2015 draft) and sophomores Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson, LA has some intriguing young talent that can grow around Jordan.
And even though longtime franchise face Kobe Bryant hasn't flown the coop, the five-time champion has let Jordan know he'd be a welcome addition to the Purple and Gold.
Bryant has reached out to Jordan, league officials told Turner. "Bryant wanted Jordan to know the Lakers are interested."
It's a good move for the Mamba to make—not every superstar accepts recruiting duties—but Jordan probably didn't need anyone to tell him the Lakers are interested. The stat sheet should have sent that message loud and clear.
LA finished the 2014-15 campaign ranked 29th in defensive efficiency and 26th in restricted-area defense. Jordan's 15.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game are no less than drool-worthy numbers in the eyes of the Lakers.
Maybe the idea of helping this storied franchise return to relevance holds some appeal to Jordan. But it can't change the fact this team went just 48-116 over the past two seasons. Unless Russell and Randle can become superstars overnight, the Lakers are too far removed from the championship race for Jordan to close the gap on his own.
If winning holds any weight in this decision, Jordan shouldn't give the Knicks nor the Lakers much consideration.
Chance of Getting Jordan: 5 Percent
Dallas Mavericks
This is where the conversation gets interesting. In fact, one source told Broussard that Jordan's decision is already "50-50" between the Mavericks and Clippers.
Dallas should interest Jordan on a number of different levels. Joining the Mavericks would put him a relative stone's throw away from his hometown of Houston. There's also no state income tax in Texas, so Jordan wouldn't take as much of a financial hit there if he opts to leave some money on the table by leaving the Clippers.
That's assuming the possibility of a more lucrative contract from the Clippers even matters to Jordan. LA can give him a longer, richer contract than anyone else, but sources told Broussard that Jordan wants a shorter deal in order to take advantage of the ballooning salary cap:
Jordan might find the best of both worlds with the Mavericks.
While they have several roster holes to fill this summer, they're also coming off a 50-win season. In other words, Dallas isn't starting from scratch. This team still has do-it-all forward Chandler Parsons, stretch big man Dirk Nowitzki and spark-plug guard Devin Harris on the roster. It would still be a leap of faith for Jordan, but not nearly as daunting as the one he'd have to make with the Lakers or Knicks.
Mavs coach Rick Carlisle has quietly becoming one of the league's premier mobile-big-man whisperers. He built a championship defense around Tyson Chandler, then turned Brandan Wright from an afterthought into a wrecking ball of efficiency.
If Jordan wants a basement view of what the Mavs can do for him, he only needs to look at how that pair thrived under Carlisle's watch.
But Dallas can sell Jordan something greater than that. Because this team is entering a transition phase, the Mavs can carve out a much larger role than the ones previously held by Chandler and Wright.
"The Mavs believe Jordan will be a perennial All-Star and the NBA’s next dominant center if he moves to Dallas," wrote ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon. "Their mission is to get him to buy into that vision."
The plan shouldn't be that hard to communicate.
Jordan could be the primary pick-and-roll partner with Parsons, and Dallas can surround that dyad with the floor-spacing Nowitzki and perimeter marskmen at the guard spots. At the opposite end, Jordan's impact would be impossible to miss if he can improve the Mavs' 18th-ranked defense.
If Jordan craves the spotlight, Dallas could give it to him. Only this one wouldn't be as scrutinized as those he'd find with the Lakers or Knicks, plus he'd have enough help around him to not get left on an island.
This won't be an easy opportunity for Jordan to ignore. But from a basketball standpoint, he won't find a better situation than his current one.
Chance of Getting Jordan: 42.5 Percent
Los Angeles Clippers
There's a reason teams feel they have a chance to pry Jordan away from the Clippers. A few of them, actually.
As long as Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are around, Jordan can't be a front-page item for the Clippers. LA's All-Star duo averaged a combined 41.0 points and 15.5 assists per game this past season. In 2013-14, those averages were 43.2 and 14.6, respectively.
The Clippers have a pecking order in place, and Jordan is blocked from rising above the ranks of third fiddle. No one would argue against the current hierarchy, but it's a factor Jordan has to consider.
So too is the reported conflict between Jordan and Paul. Sources told Fox Sports' Bill Reiter in May there was a "growing schism" between the pair. Though Clippers coach Doc Rivers refuted the report, sources recently told Turner "there is indeed a rift."
But Jordan's offensive role has been cemented for a while. His reported beef with Paul has already cycled through the rumor mill. And yet the Clippers still have the inside track to re-sign Jordan, a league source told CBS Sports' Ken Berger:
Frankly, the only surprising news here is the Clippers have just a "slight edge" to keep him.
Jordan shares the floor with two of the league's premier passers. Paul paced all players this past season with 10.2 assists per game. Griffin's 5.3 helpers ranked 21st overall and easily led all power forwards.
Beyond his work on the offensive boards, Jordan isn't a self-sufficient scorer. He feasts on alley-oop chances and dump-off passes. If distributing plays such a critical role in his offensive success, why would he swap jerseys and leave behind the prolific quarterbacks currently at his side?
None of the three teams listed above is ahead of the Clippers in the title race. They won 56 games this past season, then dispatched the defending champion San Antonio Spurs before running out of steam in the second round.
The Clippers have already attempted to bolster their bench with 24-year-old Lance Stephenson. They also have interest in veteran forward Paul Pierce, a source told InsideSoCal.com's Robert Morales. They have reportedly dangled Jamal Crawford on the trade block, sources told ESPN.com's Arash Markazi, and could try to move him to the Denver Nuggets for small forward Wilson Chandler.
The Clippers are the most successful team linked to Jordan, and they could be getting stronger.
That has to mean something to Jordan, as should his history with the franchise. While he's keeping his options open, he told USA Today's Sam Amick that he has enjoyed his time with the Clippers:
"I mean I've obviously been (in Los Angeles) seven years, and the past two have been great. Doc (Clippers coach Doc Rivers) has been my biggest supporter and the best coach I've ever had. The team is great. The guys are good. We have great camaraderie. But the free agency process is definitely going to be a fun one.
I want to experience it, to see what it's like, because before (in 2011) I was (a) restricted (free agent) so I just kind of had to wait it out. But I definitely want to experience it. I'm happy being a Clipper, I love it here. I've been here seven years, so this is definitely what I'm used to.
"
To keep a running tally here, Jordan has the best coach he's ever head, a great team and good guys on the Clippers. He also, in his words, loves being where he's at.
What about that quote sounds like someone who's ready for a change? His biggest craving seems to be experiencing the process of courtship.
He wants to feel wanted. The Clippers can scratch that itch and give him the best chance to contend for a world title. And if he takes the biggest contract available to him, it would be a five-year, $109 million deal with the Clippers as opposed to a four-year, $81 million pact with anyone else.
He'll hear some interesting recruiting pitches over the coming days and be presented with some attractive situations. But the best move for Jordan appears to be no move at all.
Chance of Getting Jordan: 50 Percent
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com.
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