Report: Mavericks looking to trade for DeAndre Jordan 3 years after he spurned them

Jason Owens
·Staff writer
The Mavericks are reportedly interested in trading for DeAndre Jordan, three years after the center backed out fo a verbal free-agent agreement to sign in Dallas. (AP)
The Mavericks are reportedly interested in trading for DeAndre Jordan, three years after the center backed out fo a verbal free-agent agreement to sign in Dallas. (AP)

In 2015, DeAndre Jordan and the Dallas Mavericks engaged in one of the more bizarre offseason dalliances the NBA has ever seen.

Now, three summers later, the two sides could reportedly finally come together after a relationship that was nearly consummated fell apart thanks to a brigade of Clippers putting on a hard last-minute sell in Jordan’s kitchen.

Report: Clippers pursuing Deandre Jordan deal before free agency

Marc Stein of the New York Times reports that the Mavericks are exploring trade possibilities with the Los Angeles Clippers for the 29-year-old center. But Jordan will have a say in the situation if the Mavs and Clippers manage to come to an agreement.

Jordan has a player option on his contract and has until Friday night to decide to opt in for $24.1 million next season or become a free agent. If he opts in, the Mavericks could trade him before free agency begins after midnight on Sunday. If not, Dallas would be forced to pursue Jordan yet again on the free-agent market.

The Clippers, in full rebuild mode after parting ways with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, traded Austin Rivers for center Marcin Gortat earlier this week and appear ready to move Jordan if he does decide to opt in. Whether Jordan is interested in playing for the Mavs, Stein did not say.

Would Mavs fans forgive Jordan?

While the Mavericks have apparent interest in Jordan, their fanbase may be another story. Jordan has been an enemy in Dallas since he backed out of an $80 million agreement with the Mavericks during the summer of 2015.

When reports surfaced that Jordan was having second thoughts about the yet-to-be-signed contract, Paul and Griffin, along with Clippers owner Steve Balmer and coach Doc Rivers flew to Jordan’s Houston home and reportedly wooed him all night. Jordan ended up re-signing in L.A.

Cuban has apparently moved on from 2015 debacle

While this was happening, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban reportedly frantically drove around Houston looking for Jordan’s house to get some face time, only to have Jordan ignore him.

Apparently Cuban is content letting bygones be bygones.

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