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Should the Clippers be Interested in DeAndre Jordan?
It was recently reported by Ramona Shelburne on an ESPN Radio segment that DeAndre Jordan could be a potential target for the Los Angeles Lakers of he were to be bought out by the Brooklyn Nets. With the Lakers now expected to sign Rajon Rondo with their final roster spot, it seems unlikely that they would make room for Jordan.
With DeMarcus Cousins still on the market, and Daniel Oturu being traded to Memphis, the Clippers are currently without a third-string center. It is unclear if the team is even interested in adding center depth, considering they often opt to play small before going that deep into their bench; however, it would be unusual to enter an NBA season without a third big man on the roster.
This raises the question of whether or not the Clippers should pursue DeAndre Jordan if he is bought out. As a third-string center, the Clippers could do worse than DJ, who is still a lob threat; however, he struggled last season with Brooklyn which led to him not seeing the floor for a single minute in the playoffs.
When DeAndre Jordan was on the floor for the Nets last season, the team posted a 113.0 ORTG, 114.8 DRTG, and a -1.9 NTRG. These numbers increased across the board when DJ was on the bench, with Brooklyn's ORTG jumping to 118.0, their DRTG improving to 110.8, and their NTRG jumping up to +7.2.
The Nets coaching staff recognized that they were simply better when Jordan was off the floor, and did not play him a single minute in the 2021 playoffs. While this has led people to believe he may seek a buyout, it is hard to imagine a scenario where that makes sense.
For Brooklyn, they would almost certainly be pleased to get off Jordan's contract, which averages $9.8M annually for the next two seasons; however, the logic on DJ's end is less clear. At this stage of his career, it is hard to imagine a scenario where he would be offered a role beyond an emergency center on anyone's team. Most players at that stage of their career who seek buyouts are doing so because they want to join a contender; however, DJ will not find a team with higher championship odds than Brooklyn.
For all of these reasons, it seems unlikely that DeAndre Jordan would even pursue a buyout with the Brooklyn Nets; however, in the event that he does, it is hard to imagine the Clippers having much interest.
