DeAndre Jordan Agrees To A Contract With The Dallas Mavericks
According to ESPN sources, DeAndre Jordan is on the verge of leaving the Los Angeles Clippers to sign a four-year, $80 million max offer.
— Hayley Byrnes Hartlage (@HayleyByrnes) July 3, 2015
In a coup for Dallas, two league sources involved in process confirm that DeAndre Jordan has accepted the Mavs' 4-year, $80m offer.
— Ken Berger (@KBergNBA) July 3, 2015
DeAndre Jordan plans to announce his departure from Los Angeles early Friday evening.
I'm told DeAndre Jordan could announce he's going to Dallas as early as tonight. Parsons and Cuban have been "relentless" in recruiting him.
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) July 3, 2015
The Mavericks’ Chandler Parsons has dined with Jordan multiple times over the past week, and the two have built a strong bond and friendship. Parsons also helped court Dwight Howard to the Rockets during his time in Houston. Parsons may have a future as a college basketball coach since he seems to be such a great recruiter. Amazingly, Parsons actually has plans to become a basketball general manager after his playing days are over.
do not doubt this man pic.twitter.com/uJCnjfjU3T
— James Herbert (@outsidethenba) July 3, 2015
I know it’s cliché but if you let Chandler Parsons dine with a free agent for a week straight, you’ll sign him to your team.
— Zach Harper (@talkhoops) July 3, 2015
Chandler Parsons is a hell of a recruiter.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 3, 2015
Seriously, @ChandlerParsons needs his own series of Mission Impossible movies where he just pulls off greater & greater feats of recruiting
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) July 3, 2015
Many people do not believe that Jordan deserves such a huge contract, seeing as he was the third option with the Clippers, behind Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. But the 26-year-old center had his best season last year, by far. DeAndre averaged 11.5 points, 15 rebounds, and a field-goal percentage of 71 percent, all of which were career highs. Not to mention blocking 2.2 shots per game.
DeAndre Jordan: led all centers w/ 12.1 wins above replacement last season; played in 322 consecutive games (longest active streak in NBA)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 3, 2015
Their was an alleged rift between all-star point guard Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan last season, which may have altered his decision during free agency. The Clippers and Mavericks were the top two teams fighting for Jordan this offseason.
Story coming online now, but can confirm that DeAndre Jordan is headed to Dallas. Clippers in a world of hurt after this one.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 3, 2015
This decision by DeAndre takes the Mavericks out of the discussion for Pacers center Roy Hibbert, who was rumored to join the Mavericks if things did not work out with Jordan.
Hibbert or Nene seems like the only reasonable fallback for Clippers in wake of losing Jordan.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) July 3, 2015
DeAndre Jordan, who will be a highly coveted center, will return to the free agent market in 2018, when the salary cap will be significantly heightened.
Jordan is a native of Texas and attended Texas A&M University for his lone college season. In the Mavericks’ pitch to DeAndre earlier this week, Dallas reportedly taped video messages from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and star wide receiver Dez Bryant, playing towards Jordan’s well-known fandom of the Cowboys, and especially Bryant.
The Mavericks were the favorites to seal Jordan since last night, when Wesley Matthews accepted an offer from Dallas, and DeAndre immediately followed him on Twitter.
As I said before, the Clippers were feeling very confident they'd keep DeAndre Jordan. They were blindsided by him leaving for the Mavs.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 3, 2015
Nevertheless, this choice by DeAndre Jordan is surprising to many, since he is leaving contender in Los Angeles, where he played with two players in their prime. He is moving to Dallas where they have Dirk Nowitzki, who is old, Wesley Matthews, coming off an Achilles tear, and Chandler Parsons, coming off a season-ending knee injury.
So, the #mavs don't have a PG & #clippers don't have a C…
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) July 3, 2015
What a disaster for the Clippers
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) July 3, 2015
Do you think DeAndre Jordan made the correct decision in going to the Dallas Mavericks?
[Image Source: Scott Halleran / Getty Images]
