Clips’ C Jordan opts out of deal
LOS ANGELES — The last remnant of Lob City will be departing after DeAndre Jordan informed the L.A. Clippers late Friday afternoon that he was opting out of the final year of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent, according to NBA officials who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
Jordan’s decision to walk away from $24.1 million if he opted into his deal with the Clippers probably means the 6-foot-11 center will sign with the Dallas Mavericks after the free-agency period opens, according to officials.
His agent, Jeff Schwartz, had been given permission by the Clippers to seek a deal with the Mavericks. But the Clippers had been unwilling to do a sign-and-trade that would have netted them Mavericks guard Wesley Matthews and his expiring contract of $18.7 million, according to officials. The two sides continued to negotiate, but things stalled when the Clippers sought two secondround draft picks from the Mavericks and not just the one Dallas had offered, according to the officials. The Mavericks still are willing and able financially to sign Jordan, who spent all 10 years of his NBA career with the Clippers, according to one official.
Free agency begins at mdnight, and that’s when Jordan can agree to a deal with the Mavericks. Free agents can’t sign contracts with a team until the NBA moratorium is lifted on July 6.
The Clippers put themselves in position on Tuesday to have a replacement for Jordan when they traded guard Austin Rivers to the Washington Wizards for center Marcin Gortat.
The Clippers had been hesitant to acquire Matthews because the team already has seven guards after the Rivers deal: firstround draft picks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jerome Robinson, NBA sixth man of the year Lou Williams, defensive ace Patrick Beverley, Milos Teodosic, Jawun Evans and Sindarius Thornwell.