Potential Trade Packages and Landing Spots for LA Clippers Star DeAndre Jordan
The Los Angeles Clippers could be on the verge of demolition.
After losing Blake Griffin to an MCL sprain, the Clippers—recent losers of nine straight—are now without four of their five opening-night starters for the foreseeable future. And their fifth might be moving out of the equation for a different reason.
DeAndre Jordan, a three-time All-NBA selection, can opt out of his $24.1 million 2018-19 salary and enter next summer's free-agent field. Rather than risk losing him for nothing—or overpaying for a core that looks nowhere close to contending—L.A. can proactively move the big man in a deal that puts both feet forward down the rebuilding path.
David Aldridge of NBA.com has heard "the Clippers have put feelers out to a handful of teams" on Jordan. And the trade winds are blowing strong enough to reach the frequent flyer.
"It's humbling," Jordan told Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus. "It shows that other people want you and that you have value."
Centers aren't easy to move in today's NBA, but Jordan has the size, skill and pedigree to attract his share of suitors. The following five clubs could all have interest in him, and these potential trade packages might be enough to entice his current employer.
Phoenix Suns
1 of 5
Los Angeles Clippers Get: Greg Monroe and a 2018 protected first-round pick (via Milwaukee)
Phoenix Suns Get: DeAndre Jordan
Right away, this trade package sends a clear message to L.A.: Don't expect equal value for the big fella. If that's the goal, then Monroe and a mid-level first that might not convey next summer will feel like a slap in the face for a nightly double-double and reigning All-Star.
But this is reality.
The market for restricted-area specialists is shallow. And for as good as Jordan is at his craft, there's no getting around the facts that he's limited, approaching his 30th birthday and either only a partial-season rental or about to be really expensive.
So, any deal that nets the Clippers a future first is worth exploring. The pick could take a while to reach Los Angeles—it would only move if it's between 11 and 16 next summer and carries other protections through 2020—but at least it's coming. And if the Clippers convince themselves a quick turnaround is possible, perhaps they'll see the 27-year-old Monroe as more than a matching, expiring salary.
This is a trickier sell to the Suns, who finally appear willing to practice patience. Rebuilders should rarely part with picks, especially for an almost-30-something with an uncertain future.
But maybe Phoenix feels closer than it looks due to the continued developments of Devin Booker and T.J. Warren. Jordan would still be a gamble, but he's one worth taking if the franchise feels he could accelerate the maturation process.
Not to mention, Jordan could fill a glaring void at center the Suns have been unable to address despite multiple efforts. Phoenix invested a top-five pick in Alex Len and $69 million in free-agency spending on Tyson Chandler and Alan Williams, but it still has one of the worst center rotations in points (23rd), blocks (tied for 22nd) and plus/minus (27th).
Washington Wizards
2 of 5
Los Angeles Clippers Get: Marcin Gortat, Kelly Oubre, Jason Smith and a 2018 lottery-protected first-round pick
Washington Wizards Get: DeAndre Jordan
Before the season tipped, ESPN hoops scribe Zach Lowe laid out 32 predictions for the campaign. Among them was a Jordan trade if the Clippers faltered, with this specific package from the Washington Wizards floated as a possibility.
His rationale—"Let's build Lob City, East!"
The mental image of Jordan crushing alley oops from John Wall is admittedly intoxicating, especially with Jordan's offensive production cliff-diving since Chris Paul's exit. And if Washington feels it's on the brink of contending—its eighth-ranked offense looks ready if its 14th-ranked defense catches up—it could feel motivated to move a first-rounder for the third straight season.
Gortat is an adequate anchor, but Jordan is on a different athletic plane, and it shows in his superior rebounding (career 10.2 to 8.2) and shot-blocking (1.8 to 1.2). Opponents shot 57.7 percent at the rim against Gortat last season; Jordan held them to 50.1 percent. And while both played alongside an elite distributor, Jordan found far more success as a pick-and-roll screener (1.52 points per possession, 99th percentile to 1.09 and 65th for Gortat).
Jordan is also four years younger, so if he's kept around—that is, if Washington can stomach a steep luxury-tax bill—he might extend the Wizards' window. But the main focus would be to win now with the Cleveland Cavaliers possibly vulnerable and some of the East's up-and-comers not quite ready to rise.
If Washington is chasing a 2018 title, then a pick with a good chance of falling in the 20s is a simple sacrifice. Oubre is a different story, as the 21-year-old is coming into his own and breathing badly needed life into the Wizards' always underwhelming bench.
But the Clippers aren't answering the phone without Oubre's inclusion, especially since Gortat and Smith are both owed money beyond this season. L.A. would foot the bill for Oubre, though, who'd bring youth, athleticism and three-point sniping to a wing collection in need of all three.
Milwaukee Bucks
3 of 5
Los Angeles Clippers Get: Malcolm Brogdon, John Henson and Mirza Teletovic
Milwaukee Bucks Get: DeAndre Jordan and Brice Johnson
Giannis Antetokounmpo's NBA takeover is on in earnest, and the Bucks are clinging to the East's final playoff spot. Clearly, something is amiss in Milwaukee, and it's not just Jabari Parker's latest ACL absence.
The Bucks don't defend like their massive amounts of length and athleticism say they should (18th in efficiency). They're among the Association's worst teams on the glass (tied for 26th in rebounding percentage). They don't have a center averaging eight points or seven rebounds, numbers Jordan has been comfortably clearing for five years running.
Milwaukee fans might not be crazy about the outgoing package, but it's easy to see why the organization would covet an All-NBA center like Jordan.
"As long as the Bucks are certain Jabari Parker will return to the lineup sometime after the All-Star break, moving another young big as part of a package for Jordan wouldn't be irresponsible," Aldridge wrote. "And can you imagine the defensive havoc that an [Eric] Bledsoe-Giannis Antetokounmpo-Jordan triumvirate could wreak on the world?"
Losing Brogdon would sting. A lot. He's not only been a brilliant on-court asset—a .461/.418/.859 shooter with 4.1 assists against only 1.5 turnovers for his career—he also inspires with a cerebral approach and tremendous intensity.
That said, there are only two ways to get Jordan to Milwaukee: give up Brogdon or give up Parker. Some might opt for the latter given his injury problems, but the former looks preferable from my vantage point. Brogdon will turn 25 before Parker turns 22, has never packed the scoring punch Parker has flashed (which Milwaukee needs alongside Giannis) and lost his starting gig to an in-season pickup (Bledsoe).
More over, L.A. might also prefer Brogdon to Parker. The Clippers already have a ton of money committed to injury-prone forwards; they don't need to take on the puzzle that is Parker's upcoming restricted free agency. And with more than $30 million owed to Henson (who could be moderately useful in L.A.) and Teletovic beyond this season, they'll need a cost-controlled talent like the reigning Rookie of the Year.
Dallas Mavericks
4 of 5
Los Angeles Clippers Get: Yogi Ferrell, Wesley Matthews, Nerlens Noel and a 2019 second-round pick (via Golden State)
Dallas Mavericks Get: DeAndre Jordan and Brice Johnson
It's rare that a potential NBA transaction requires you to weigh the forgiveness abilities of the parties involved. Then again, it's even more unusual to see an about-face like Jordan's in 2015 free agency, when he second-guessed his decision to ditch L.A. for Dallas and spawned an epic emoji war.
But the adage about the NBA being a business first still applies. And everything that attracted the Mavericks to Jordan two years back still rings true, only now he'd be supporting Harrison Barnes in the frontcourt and running endless pick-and-rolls with electric rookie Dennis Smith Jr.
Jordan is the interior anchor Noel was supposed to be. Dallas has lacked an aerial threat at center since JaVale McGee fizzled out two seasons ago, and Rick Carlisle's squad must bulk up on defense (22nd) and the boards (tied for 27th). There are worse ways to enter the post-Dirk Nowitzki era—assuming that's coming at some point—than with a Jordan-Barnes-Smith troika.
This would free Noel from Carlisle's dog house and potentially create a similar dynamic to the Jordan-Blake Griffin frontcourt, just with a younger, cheaper center. Wesley Matthews might get a recharge after two-plus disappointing seasons in Dallas and improve L.A.'s perimeter defense. Yogi Ferrell would have the chance to inject youth and upside into the Clippers' aging and injured point guard rotation.
Maybe the Mavericks could even jump-start the career of Johnson, the 25th pick in 2016 with only eight NBA appearances to date.
This has win-win potential, but only if egos are pushed aside. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban declined to accept the apology Jordan sent through social media that fateful offseason and traded some light verbal barbs with the Clippers before their first matchup that year.
Granted, two years is an eternity in the NBA. And basketball motives should greatly outweigh any emotional concerns. But if there are grudge-holders on either side, these talks may never get off the ground.
Cleveland Cavaliers
5 of 5
Los Angeles Clippers Get: Iman Shumpert, Tristan Thompson and a 2018 first-round pick
Cleveland Cavaliers Get: DeAndre Jordan
First off, let's ether the elephant in the room before it runs amok through the comments section: No, this isn't the highly coveted Brooklyn Nets pick. While the Clippers will no doubt plead for it, Cavs general manager Koby Altman will rightfully hang up at any mention of Brooklyn, the Nets, Jay-Z, bagels or thin-crust pizza.
This is Cleveland's run-of-the-mill first-rounder, surely slotted somewhere in the 20s. But it's still a first-round flier for a player who's months away from the open market and will likely cost a premium throughout his next contract, even with his prime likely ending before the deal does.
Thompson isn't a franchise center, but that's OK. He's a rugged role player who could be the complementary muscle to Griffin's skill. It wouldn't be a big pairing, but it'd be athletic, capable of switching on defense and a lob threat on both sides.
Besides, this wouldn't automatically thrust Thompson into the role of Clippers center for the future. If L.A. deals Jordan now and can ease all the injured players through their rehabs, it could stockpile draft lottery ping-pong balls for a class that could feature multiple building-block bigs.
Thompson, then, would shift into an energetic reserve role that best fits his talent. The Clippers gain a second dart throw at the 2018 draft board. And Shumpert potentially plugs in as a two-way reserve whose minutes fluctuate with his streaky contributions.
Not great, but not bad for a rental, right?
Would the Cavs consider a Thompson-for-Jordan swap? Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon reported a league source believes they would. And it'd be the right move to make as long as the Brooklyn pick isn't involved.
Jordan would go from being without a top-shelf playmaker to having two once Isaiah Thomas gets healthy. There's enough spacing and distributing for Jordan to feast on lobs, and his post presence would be a needed boost to Cleveland's 25th-ranked defense. The Cavs could always keep a shooting 4 alongside him, and Jordan's athleticism and rim protection should make it easier to hide Kevin Love on defense.
With LeBron James' impending free agency hovering over Cleveland, any move that increases the championship odds must be explored. And if it can be done without sacrificing the best non-LeBron asset, it might be an easy call.
Unless otherwise indicated, all stats are from Basketball Reference or NBA.com.
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @ZachBuckleyNBA.
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