DeAndre Jordan is the only member of the Los Angeles Clippers’ Core Four who isn’t a free agent this summer.
But that doesn’t mean he’ll be with the team next season.
According to ESPN.com’s Chris Haynes, the Clippers are testing his value on the trade market:
The LA Clippers have gauged the market on potentially trading All-Star defensive stalwart center DeAndre Jordan, league sources told ESPN.
Sources say the Clippers, in an exploratory fashion, have spoken to a few teams regarding the nine-year veteran.
One of the teams contacted was the Phoenix Suns, sources told ESPN. A proposal of Jordan in exchange for veteran center Tyson Chandler and the Suns’ No. 4 pick in the 2017 NBA draft was discussed, sources said.
The Suns, however, are believed to have balked at the overture.
It’s tough to tell what this means.
Though it could be a sign the Clippers want to run super-duper small with Blake Griffin at the 5, or with a cheaper big playing beside him, sources told Haynes the Jordan talks would intensify if his frontcourt partner bolts in free agency. Jordan’s availability could also be seen as a sign that Chris Paul is taking his talents elsewhere, yet if the Clippers are getting back Tyson Chandler, they suddenly have a noted friend and former teammate of their floor general.
This is all very weird. One thing that’s for certain: The Clippers aren’t getting a top-five pick for Jordan’s services. He’s a free agent after next season (player option), and Dwight Howard was just flipped by the Atlanta Hawks for what amounts to spare parts and cap space.
Jordan is noticeably better than Howard these days. He’s more skilled at defending in space, and he isn’t trying to burn through a ton of post-ups. But that Howard trade speaks volumes about the value of non-unicorn bigs around the league. If the Clippers are trying to move Jordan—who is, again, essentially an expiring contract—they’d be looking at a return along the lines of, say, John Henson, the No. 17 pick in the draft and filler. Or maybe Robin Lopez, Cameron Payne and the No. 16 pick.
