The Los Angeles Clippers have remained confident in their ability to re-sign unrestricted free agent center DeAndre Jordan, but it turns out the hyperathletic big man may have plans that would make a continued future in Lob City rather difficult.
According a report by NBA insiders Chris Broussard and Arash Markazi published on ESPN.com Tuesday morning, Jordan is supposedly seeking a four-year contract with an opt-out clause after the third year. In theory, the Clippers have the upper hand in retaining the 26-year-old as they are the only team able to offer Jordan a fifth year, a usually formidable weapon to wield in free agency as teams like the Miami Heat in their bid to keep free agent point guard Goran Dragic have seen. But with Jordan now reportedly looking for a shorter-term deal, one of LAC’s biggest advantages has been rendered obsolete.
Additionally, the report claims that Jordan has grown weary of playing third banana to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin and wants a bigger offensive role.
Though the Texas A&M product busted out last season posting 11.5 points per game (a career-high) while leading the league with 15.0 rebounds per game and 71 percent shooting from the field, he might be a bit in over his head seeking more touches offensively. With a medium-rare post game that can be described as prehistoric at best and non-existent at worst, Jordan, while elite around the rim, is essentially useless away from it, with an average FGA distance of 2.0 feet in his entire career. He’s a lifetime 46.6 percent shooter from 3-10 feet, pathetic numbers for a competent offensive center. However, that’s still a better clip than his rancid career conversion rate at the free throw line of 41.7 percent, a place where Jordan is sure to lay infinitely more bricks should his touches on offense increase as he’d like.
While DeAndre may be smart in seeking to avoid locking himself into a long-term deal and denying himself a chance at all that succulent TV money about to come into the league, his ego may be getting the best of him in seeking a larger role offensively. Has it ever occurred to him that his increased offensive prowess might be thanks to Doc Rivers’ arrival in Los Angeles and might be thanks to all the attention that Paul and Griffin attract from opposing defenses? Still there are no shortage of suitors that could be willing to acquiesce to Jordan’s desires and that can’t be a good thing for Lob City’s chance of keeping him in a Clipper uniform, especially as Mark Cuban’s Dallas Mavericks lurk in the shadows.
