Report: Clippers ‘optimistic’ DeAndre Jordan will stay in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Clippers are optimistic DeAndre Jordan will forgo his verbal commitment to the Dallas Mavericks and instead re-sign with them, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne.
Jordan reportedly reached an agreement with the Mavs on a four-year, $80 million contract last week. Clippers coach Doc Rivers, owner Steve Ballmer and players Chris Paul, Paul Pierce and J.J. Redick reportedly met with Jordan on Wednesday in Houston—where Jordan resides in the offseason—in an attempt to convince him to remain in Los Angeles, where he has played the first seven seasons of his NBA career.
Jordan reportedly reached out to Rivers and Clippers forward Blake Griffin on Monday to tell them he was having second thoughts about signing with the Mavericks.
• GOLLIVER: What should DeAndre Jordan do?
After meeting with Jordan on Wednesday, the Clippers contingent remained at his house with the intention of staying there until Jordan could officially sign a contract at midnight ET Thursday, reports Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnarowski. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban flew to Houston and was hoping to convince Jordan to stay with the Mavericks.
Jordan’s agent, Dan Fegan, was not as Jordan’s house on Wednesday night for the meeting with Clippers players and coaches, reports Shelburne.
Free agents are free to meet with teams beginning July 1 and typically reach agreements with teams soon after but are not able to sign contracts until Thursday. Los Angeles’s push for a player already committed to another team is considered a violation of the NBA’s so-called “unwritten rules,” former Brooklyn Nets assistant GM Bobby Marks said.
• Latest NBA rumors: Do Mavericks have a shot at Kevin Durant?
Jordan averaged 11.5 points and 15.0 rebounds in 2014–15 for the Clippers. He had four games with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds, two of which came when forward Blake Griffin did not play.
- Dan Gartland and Mike Fiammetta
