The Los Angeles Clippers’ decision to trade Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets and Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons marked the end of the Lob City era. DeAndre Jordan, the only remaining member of the Clippers’ “Big Three,” is expected to be the next piece to be moved in the upcoming offseason.
Cannon Wonderlich of Fansided’s Clipperholics suggested teams that could trade for DeAndre Jordan this summer, including the reigning NBA champions, Golden State Warriors. Having four All-Stars on their roster, the Warriors remain as the top favorite to win the NBA championship title this season. However, their lone weakness, the center position, could make them vulnerable to opposing teams who are serious about stealing the throne. As Wonderlich noted, the problem could be immediately addressed if the Warriors manage to acquire Jordan from the Clippers.
“The one big hole in GSW as a team is the center position. Javale McGee and Zaza Pachulia aren’t cutting it. DeAndre’s rim protection would be incredibly beneficial for the team. He would be their fifth starter that is an NBA All-Star and he would make them even more daunting for any opponent.”
In the suggested trade scenario, the Warriors will be trading Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Jordan Bell, and Quin Cook to Los Angeles for DeAndre Jordan and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2020 second-round pick. The deal works on ESPN ‘s NBA Trade Machine . The proposed trade will give the Clippers two reliable veterans and two promising players who could be part of their long-term future.
Jordan Bell has drawn comparisons to Draymond Green for his ability to defend, score, rebound, and pass the ball. The absence of Stephen Curry due to injury gave Quin Cook the opportunity to showcase his skills. With his impressive performance, the Warriors awarded him a two-year guaranteed deal to make him an official part of their playoff roster. Cook and Bell will help the Clippers speed up the rebuilding process in order to become a significant team in the league again.
Meanwhile, the potential acquisition of DeAndre Jordan will undeniably make the Warriors almost untouchable. Jordan will boost the Warriors on both ends of the floor. However, the Warriors will first need to lose their title for them to consider engaging in a blockbuster trade this summer.
Jordan will definitely love opting into his contract if he will be traded to a legitimate title contender, but there is a condition. An NBA executive told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report that the trading team should be willing to give Jordan another $100 million over the next three seasons. The Warriors are unlikely to give up a huge amount of money, knowing that they will be needing salary cap flexibility to bring back some of their core players in the next offseason.
As of now, it’s too early to predict where will DeAndre Jordan play next. The outcome of the 2017-18 NBA season will play a major role in the decision of several NBA teams who plan to make a huge upgrade to their roster. Expect more rumors to circulate around Jordan as the offseason draws near.
