DeAndre Jordan is on the move for the first time in his career after agreeing to a deal with the Dallas Mavericks.
Marc Stein of the New York Times reported the All-Star center’s contract with the Mavericks will be for one year, worth around $24.1 million. That would be essentially the value of the player option with Los Angeles he declined to become a free agent.
This is Jordan’s second turn at free agency. The 29-year-old previously experienced it in 2015 and memorably agreed to a deal with the Dallas Mavericks before backing out of it to remain with the Los Angeles Clippers on a four-year contract.
“When I factored coming back to the Clippers, I really thought about being on one team for my entire career, and that was really important to me,” Jordan told reporters of his decision three years ago. “The past two seasons I’ve had, I have been really successful with these guys and with this group of players and the organization.”
Jordan has spent the first 10 years of his NBA career with the Clippers. He went from an unheralded second-round draft pick out of Texas A&M in 2009 to one of the best big men in the league.
For five consecutive seasons from 2012-13 to 2016-17, Jordan led the NBA in field-goal percentage and effective field-goal percentage. He has averaged at least 13.6 rebounds per game in the last five seasons, as well.
Jordan even showed improvement as a free-throw shooter last season with a career-high 58.0 percent success rate. He will never be great in that area, but making himself less of a liability is a positive sign for his future.
Three years after they nearly came together, the Mavericks finally get the center they have long coveted.
While nothing is certain in free agency, Jordan joining the Mavs has felt like one of the surest things this offseason. Marc Stein of the New York Times reported Dallas was making him their top priority after he declined his option with the Clippers.
Dirk Nowitzki even declined his $5 million option for next season, with the intention to re-sign in July, so Dallas would have more money available to offer Jordan.
The Mavericks have now addressed the frontcourt and backcourt this offseason. Rookie Luka Doncic, whose draft rights were acquired by Dallas in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, will be in charge of running the offense.
Jordan will serve as the Mavs’ presence in the paint as a rebounding machine who is going to shoot a high percentage from the floor.
There is still work to do for the Mavericks, who finished 24-58 last season, to become a playoff contender in the Western Conference. They are headed in the right direction with Jordan agreeing to a deal.
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
