NBA Rumors: DeAndre Jordan Trade Buzz, 76ers Will Push to Sign LeBron James
There are NBA rumors, and then there are NBA rumors. Today, we'll be breaking down the latter, as two of the biggest names in the NBA are the subject of the league's latest buzz.
DeAndre Jordan Reportedly on the Block
Here is a list of the Los Angeles Clippers currently injured: Blake Griffin, Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Beverley, Milos Teodosic.
Here is the team's record thus far this season: 8-13.
Here is the likelihood the Clippers will keep themselves in the playoff picture while Griffin is sidelined: Highly unlikely. Borderline impossible.
And here is DeAndre Jordan's contract situation: He is under contract for $24 million next season, per Spotrac.com, though he can opt out of his deal before the 2018-19 campaign and become a free agent.
It shouldn't be a surprise, then, that Jordan's name is being floated in trade rumors. He's basically the perfect storm of tradeable conditions, and the Clippers could be facing a lost season and may be better off leaning into a short-term tank mode to add young players and assets alongside Griffin and Gallinari for the coming years.
Certainly, Jordan has already been linked to various teams. Basketball writer Gery Woelfel reported that the Milwaukee Bucks may be leading the charge to land him:
"The Bucks recently acquired veteran guard Eric Bledsoe from the Phoenix Suns, and now the scuttlebutt around the league is they are making a concerted push to acquire veteran center Jordan from the Clippers.
"Jordan’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors for several weeks and, as one might expect, there isn’t a shortage of teams interested in him. According to sources, the Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, Minnesota Timberwolves and Bucks have shown the most interest in Jordan.
"Sources said Clipper officials have targeted three Bucks in any deal for Jordan. One is John Henson, who is currently the team’s starting center, while the others are reigning Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, who lost his starting spot when Bledsoe came aboard, and standout swingman Khris Middleton.
"The Clippers, I’ve been told, are adamant in acquiring at least two of the aforementioned Bucks and may even demand all three of them."
Jordan has also been linked with a potential trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers, per Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.
There are essentially two reasons for the Clippers to hold on to Jordan: Either they truly believe they can make a playoff push even without Griffin for the next two months or so, or Jordan has made it known he will exercise his playoff option for next season and may be interested in signing an extension beyond that, keeping himself in the team's long-term plans.
Otherwise, why not move on? Why risk losing him for nothing this offseason? Why not bring in some young players or draft picks, bite the bullet and take your losses this season and bring in a good young player in a solid draft class come June?
The Clippers will have some big decisions to make before this season's trade deadline. None will be bigger than determining the future of Jordan.
LeBron James to Philly?
Last week, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reported that "executives around the league believe Philadelphia Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo will attempt to sign James" this summer in free agency.
There's an argument to be made that every NBA team will—or at least should—make a pitch to James, the best player in the NBA, if he decides against re-signing with the Cavaliers. But the fact that executives are buzzing about the Sixers suggests that Philly may have the sort of enticing roster and situation that could appeal to James.
Imagine, for a moment, a starting lineup with James, Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid and Robert Covington, with a fifth starter to be determined. It could be Markelle Fultz if the No. 1 overall pick thrives once he returns from a shoulder injury. It could be Dario Saric, who does a little bit of everything for the Sixers from the power forward position. Or maybe the team could convince J.J. Redick to re-sign on a cheap, team-friendly deal and chase a title.
Regardless, the length and athleticism that Embiid, Simmons, Covington and James would provide on the defensive end would be ridiculous, and the versatility on offense perhaps unparalleled.
James would give the Sixers the sort of secondary ball-handler in the starting lineup the team has lacked this year with Fultz on the fritz, while James would also give the team a player capable of getting one-on-one buckets on the perimeter when the set play breaks down, another missing component of their current lineup.
For James, meanwhile, he would be paired with arguably the best two-way center in the NBA in Embiid, a dynamic 6'10" point guard in Simmons who is a nightly triple-double threat and a three-and-D wing in Covington. Plus, the Sixers would have a solid supporting cast with role players like Saric, Fultz and feisty backup point guard T.J. McConnell.
Add in the fact that the Sixers will have either the Lakers pick in 2018 if it doesn't fall between 2-5 (when it would transfer to Boston) or the Sacramento Kings unprotected pick in 2019. If both of those selections improbably end up being No. 1 overall, the Sixers would keep each pick and transfer their own 2019 first-rounder to the Celtics as a part of the Fultz trade.
In other words, the Sixers aren't done adding young talent to this roster, and at the very least, those draft assets—accumulated by former general manager Sam Hinkie, it should be noted—are fantastic bargaining chips if the team wants to make a move for veteran help.
Sure, there could be some difficulties and adjustments on the court. James might need to give up some of his facilitator duties to keep Simmons comfortable in his preferred role running the offense, or vice versa. From a pure scheme fit, another two-way wing and three-point threat who is a bit less ball-dominant like Paul George—or Avery Bradley, if George isn't interested in the Sixers—might be the more natural fit.
But if you have the opportunity to sign a player of James' caliber, you make it happen, fit be damned.
We're a long way from any of this happening, of course. Maybe James teams up with George, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma and perhaps a third superstar free agent like DeMarcus Cousins with the Lakers. Maybe the Cavaliers win another title and he and Isaiah Thomas decide to remain together in Cleveland. Maybe a mystery team emerges for his services like the New York Knicks or Los Angeles Clippers.
But Philly has a lot to offer, and because their core is young, they could make the pitch to James that players like Embiid and Simmons could help him win titles long past his prime. The Sixers might be the future of the Eastern Conference without James, especially if Fultz ends up living up to the hype.
But if ever there was a punctuation mark to end The Process, James would be it.
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