Written by Tyler Conway at Bleacher Reports.com
The Los Angeles Clippers have reportedly reached out to multiple teams to gauge their interest in trading for All-Star center DeAndre Jordan.
Chris Haynes of ESPN.com reported Tuesday the talks have been “exploratory” to this point, and nothing is imminent. The Clippers did offer Jordan to the Phoenix Suns for Tyson Chandler and the No. 4 pick in Thursday’s draft but were rebuffed.
Team officials told Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times that the Clippers “are not actively looking to trade” Jordan.
The 28-year-old center averaged 12.7 points, 13.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks last season. He earned his first All-Star selection and was named a third-team All-NBA selection for the second time.
The Clippers are heading into an uncertain offseason, with Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and JJ Redick all heading for free agency. Griffin and Jordan are known to have a close personal relationship, so the former’s departure may increase the likeliness of the latter’s. Paul and Redick are expected to explore free agency and could also sign elsewhere for better chances at a title.
This all could leave Jordan as the last man in the lurch, ironic given he was nearly the first of Los Angeles’ Big Three to bolt. The Clippers made a last-ditch desperation ploy to keep Jordan after he verbally agreed to sign with the Dallas Mavericks in 2015. Their last-second powwow worked, but Doc Rivers has been unable to surround his stars with enough talent to compete for a championship.
Should Paul or Griffin leave in free agency, trading Jordan would make sense. Rivers has ripped the asset cupboards barren during his tenure, leaving the Clips with no promising players on the rise or much in the way of draft picks.
The Clippers likely won’t trade Jordan until they know what’s going on with their free agents. Once the dust settles there, though, this could be something to monitor.
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