DeAndre Jordan Trade Rumors: Clippers Star 'Tops Bucks' List'

Having already moved assets to acquire Eric Bledsoe, the Milwaukee Bucks appear willing to move their chips to the center of the table in a push for DeAndre Jordan.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reported the Bucks have the Clippers center atop their list of potential acquisitions ahead of February's trade deadline. Wojnarowski said it isn't clear whether the Bucks have a package of players they'd be willing to part with that would entice the Clippers.

Jordan, 29, can become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He is averaging 11.6 points and 15.1 rebounds per game this season; the latter number marks a career high. A rebounding monster inside and elite finisher near the rim, Jordan has drawn tepid interest around the league because the "traditional" center has been deemphasized leaguewide.

"He's a difference-maker, but I'm not sure anyone thinks he puts you over the top," one general manager told Wojnarowski.

Jordan does not have much of an offensive game besides rim-running, and his inability to stretch the floor has forced teammate Blake Griffin to expand his range. Griffin is averaging a career-high 5.7 threes per game in 2017-18 but only making them at a 34.6 percent clip and shooting a career-low 43.2 percent from the floor.

The Clippers in previous years were able to contend with the Jordan-Griffin spacing issues by relying on Chris Paul to find open spaces in the defense. Paul is now plying his trade in Houston, and it's becoming increasingly clear the frontcourt duo is untenable moving forward.

The Clippers may have no recourse. Letting Jordan walk in free agency a year after signing Griffin to a five-year maximum contract consigns them to over-the-cap lottery status—likely with their franchise player displeased. Re-signing Jordan gives them a 30-plus center with no outside game whose athleticism is on its downslope and no real path toward title contention.

Finding a middle ground where they acquire a similarly skilled (albeit lesser) version of Jordan and a draft pick would be ideal. The Bucks, who are the most interested suitor, do not appear to have that player—unless the Clippers value John Henson more than the rest of the league.