When DeAndre Jordan was drafted in the second round in 2008, how many people would have envisioned that he’d be one of the most sought-after free agents in the NBA seven years later? Very few, but alas, here we are. And Jordan is such a hot commodity that the who’s who of NBA stars are trying to recruit him.
Jordan, who was drafted by the Clippers and has spent his entire career with the team, is expected to make potentially max money on his next contract. When free agency begins, the defensive-minded center will meet with the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, and then the Clippers, in that order.
The LA Times’ Broderick Turner reports that teams fighting for Jordan have their big guns trying to recruit him. Kobe Bryant has called to recruit Jordan to the Lakers; Carmelo Anthony has done the same for the Knicks; Chandler Parsons has been hanging out with him representing Dallas; and Clippers coach/exec Doc Rivers met with Jordan, along with Jamie Foxx.
If any team is able to lure Jordan away from the Clippers, the Mavs are viewed as the team that might do it. The Clippers are able to offer Jordan more money than anyone else because they hold his Bird rights, but one potential knock is the reported strained relationship between the center and point guard Chris Paul.
