The clock is ticking as the trade deadline looms this Friday. It is a bit of a tricky situation for both DeAndre Jordan and his team the Clippers, as they know he is just a season away from unrestricted free agency.
Jordan replacement already in place
The Clippers brought Marcin Gortat in already, paving the way for DeAndre Jordan to leave but which team is likely to come in for him? Then there is also the concern for the Clippers they do not get what they want for him, with him being almost 30 and so close to free agency. His high salary is another significant stumbling block that could make negotiations really difficult.
Potential destinations for Jordan
The Dallas Mavericks are rumoured to be interested and they have the cap room to offer the $24 million to DeAndre Jordan. They could even be thinking about swapping Harrison Barnes or Wesley Matthews to land Jordan, to leave them with cap space. However, the Clippers might not be keen on a deal for Matthews, as he has really struggled to rediscover his form after the Achilles tendon rupture he sustained a few seasons back.
Trade options
Dallas have the cap space to be able to get a Jordan trade, as they are still $13.9 million under the cap before the end of the year on June 30. So they would need to make the difference up by sending another player out for around $9 million. If they want to facilitate the trade that way, they will need to start working on the deals quickly.
The other option is for the two teams to agree to a DeAndre Jordan trade in July, which will provide the further cap space that they need to afford Jordan’s option year in full.
Of course, DeAndre Jordan may choose to just opt in and then has the freedom to select his next team the following season, if he doesn’t get traded.
