I can’t believe I’m even taking time out of my extremely busy schedule (yoga, semi-nude sunbathing, overall disorderly conduct) to discuss the goings on in the Deandre Jordan sweepstakes but since everyone else has jumped on the ‘this is incredibly important’ bandwagon, I figured I might as well waste my time writing about something that will have absolutely no bearing on the upcoming basketball season.
Plus Dr. Milhouse said it was important so here I go.
The best part about the NBA free agency period is that it keeps us hoop heads talking about basketball all summer long. The draft and subsequent free agency jockeying are the league’s first chess moves in a season-long balance of power that ultimately result in one champion and twenty-nine also rans. Who wants to go where and play with whom? Drama. Favoritism. Who lands the big fish? ABC, Always be closing. Which deals are booms or busts? With the signing of both LaMarcus Aldridge and David West, you can’t tell me you’re not eager to see how the Spurs evolve from old to new.
The downside to free agency is that for every happy camper, there is always someone left standing at the altar.
Enter Mark Cuban and the Deandre Jordan sweepstakes.
Deandre Jordan is a serviceable center in a league that really doesn’t have many. That makes him coveted. He’s not a great post player. He gets the majority of his buckets from the up-tempo style of the Los Angeles Clippers game plan. That being said, we all like a good dunk or two. And nobody had more dunks this season than Deandre Jordan.
Before free agency hit, his was one of the more important contracts expiring simply because seven-footers don’t grow on trees.
The Dallas Mavericks appeared to have a bead on him. In fact, they did.
The summer’s free agency period officially began on July 1st. On July 3rd, Deandre Jordan verbally agreed to a four-year deal with the Mavs… but he couldn’t sign until July 9th. Knowing he had Jordan in the bag, Mark Cuban probably was getting himself a fair amount of sleep over the July 4th holiday, lighting off fireworks far more carefully than Jason Pierre-Paul and CJ Wilson. Jordan might not have made Dallas immediate contenders but his presence would have at least made things more interesting.
Until.
Deandre Jordan decided to stay in L.A. His teammates begged him to stay. There was a groundswell of support from a team that’s done nothing but underachieve ever since he, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin started playing basketball together.
And so, Jordan remains a Clipper.
So here’s the gist of this story. Guy says yes. Guy says no. The end. Yaaaaawn!!!
The Clippers haven’t received this much attention since their old owner told his wife not to hang out with Magic Johnson because he’s black. Hey, at least they’re in the news for something other than sucking.
Jordan has since apologized to Cuban… on Twitter. Cuban smacked back saying the apology was contrived. The entire incident is silly and hardly newsworthy. People change their minds all the time. In fact, that’s what the entire moratorium period is designed for. Jordan was well within his right to do as he pleases.
With Jordan returning, the Clippers aren’t better than either the Spurs or Warriors. The Mavericks, with Jordan, weren’t either.
So was all the hoopla simply because Mark Cuban was involved, a rich guy not getting what he wants? Boo hoo! Was it because Jordan plays in Los Angeles? Was it all a media stunt or was it just a slow news week in sports? This whole thing sounds very WWE to me. Don’t we have better things to talk about? The guy changed his mind during a period in which he was legally allowed to. He stayed with the team he played his entire career with, a team that is probably better than the Mavs, and a team that could pay him more money. Sounds like a no-brainer to me.
So that’s all the time I’m going to spend talking about DeAndre Jordan and his short romance with the Dallas Mavericks.
Now on to something hopefully more relevant.
Thanks for the semi-nude sunbathing line… It conjures up thoughts I’d just as soon not have…
Oh… This is a basketball post… Later!
Agreed…ESPN had nothing else in the hopper so they force-fed this story to us and of course the NBA / Cuban / Clippers join right in because all publicity is good (unless you’re FSU).
On another note (I’m too lazy to look it up) – did I hear that ESPN is preparing to cut staff on a big scale or am I dreaming it up?
Two more requests. I know you are a Gators fan and I’m an Alabama fan / alumni but is anybody else nostalgic about the Kenny Stabler passing? He was not the best of human beings but I remember watching those NFL games as a kid and it was great because we couldn’t see behind the curtain then. Last one – want to take my kid to an Alabama game this year for his birthday. Problem is – his birthday weekend is a game in Tuscaloosa against LA-Monroe (win), but the week after Bama plays UGA in Athens (I live in Atlanta) and I’m betting loss by AU. He’s never seen a game in Athens live. Any & all comments welcomed by all posters here.
Sorry – long-winded. Sitting in Tuscaloosa on way to Memphis.
Hello Triple SC… hmmm I see the headline on your post is NBA, but I just couldn’t get past feeling sad for you that you’re busy schedule includes SEMI- nude sunbathing. You poor fella…
Dee Dee
I have very little sympathy for MCuban or any of the NBA hierarchy. For decades they’ve treated most of their players like store shelf merchandise. Shark Cuban is a big boy that got rejected. It’s almost like he never pulled out of a deal before. Suck it up ’cause hard times are a coming. The German is ready for the pastures with little reload.
A conceited little sh#t-head such as Mark Cuban was due his come-uppance. As for DeAndre Jordan, let’s hope for his sake, he and CPIII can kiss and make up . If the front office of the Clippers can’t two egotistical players on the same page, then how the hell do they expect to win an NBA title ?
“I only have two things in this world…
My word and my balls
…And I don’t break em for nobody”
-Tony Montana
Evidentally, DeAndre has neither.
I was actually happy DJ left the Clippers…Only because all these newbie Clippers “fans” are such a vocal group here in LA. Half these clowns can’t name a pre-veto Clippers player, yet talk more shit on how the Lakers are done and the Clips now run LA…WTF ever you dopes.
Anyway, from a basketball perspective, DJ made the right call going back to the Clips. Despite his want to be more of a focal point on offense, he is not a go-to guy by any stretch of the imagination. He benefits from the presence of Chris Paul more so than any other player on the roster.
The Clips went out and got Lance Stephenson and Paul Pierce to bolster the roster and with the return of DJ are a legit threat to contend…Though I wouldn’t bet on it.
It’s more about the way he did it.
He verbally committed to Dallas only to pull the rug out from under them at the 11th hour…And wouldn’t answer the phone while kicking it with the Clips while Cuban was frantically trying to get a hold of him to try and salvage what he believed to be a done deal?
That was cowardly of DJ.
…But within his rights according to the rules of the CBA.
Still doesn’t make it right. He went back on his word and threw the Mavs into limbo by backing out at the last minute. From that standpoint, I feel for the Mavs. From another, I think Mark Cuban got the karma he deserved after being the lead voice causing the veto of the CP3 trade.
What goes around comes back around Mark.
Choke on it.
Oh come on, Dwin.
You know that’s why you read.
Moose…
It seemed every morning I woke up for a week and this story was grabbing the headlines. What the hell for?
ESPN cutting staff? Man, I’d love to see who makes the cut and more importantly, who misses it. I heard Olbermann’s show is gone.
And re: the Snake, here’s Dub’s piece on his passing. I think you’ll enjoy.
https://dubsism.wordpress.com/2015/07/10/sports-doppelgangers-volume-84-the-rip-ken-stabler-edition/
Gotta get in my vitamin D, Dee Dee.
There’s a triple D from your triple SC.
Bets…
So who averages fewer minutes per game this season? Timmy or Dirk?
And what are you setting that number at?
Al…
Well, alright, I can see this page has quickly become grounds for the Mark Cuban Fan Club.
Damn, Bleed, the Clips landed Paul Pierce? How did that one slip by me.
I like it.
I was wondering why the hell Cleveland didn’t make a push for him. How much was he asking?
After seeing what he did in the playoffs last year, clearly the Truth has a little more left in the tank.
If you’re concerned about vitamin D my Triple SC bday boy, then skip semi…. go full.
That’s the Triple D way;)
Chris, I agree with you for the most part. I think the fact Cuban was a) involved and b) screwed elevated this to a 24/7 non-stop reporting cycle. A lot of folks want to see Mark fail and fail often. So be it. Here’s how I see it. The NBA for whatever reason can’t calculate the salary cap to a firm figure within days after the NBA Finals. It sounds to me like free agency actually enters the “dead period” where negotiation can take place but deals cannot with the teams not having the exact figure they have to work with. That came out in my reading of the coverage. And that’s absurd. The first thing that needs to happen is no free agency begins until the cap figure is firm and known to all teams. As far as having this time between free agency “beginning” and free agency “signing”…that’s absurd too. Players talk to each other all the time and so do agents with GM’s. Just set a date you can sign guys and ready…set…sign. If any “newsworthy” item came from this it was Jordan announced his intentions early on and the rest of the teams (including the Mavs) stopped or started talking to other players based on believing what Jordan said was actually going down. When he changed his mind (totally within his rights) it at least potentially affected other teams and players’ plans, thoughts, etc. Just another reminder that a deal isn’t a deal until you get the signature. And coming full circle…who should know that more than anyone in business…Mark Cuban.
Pierce signed for 3 years, $10 mil.
A bargain if you ask me. They also just signed ex-Laker Wes Johnson so he’ll get the bulk of the SF minutes so they can save P-Double for crunchtime minutes where he shines and earns that nickname “The Truth”.
Rumor has it he wanted to come home (He’s was born & raised in LA) and try to bring a title to LA that isn’t purple and gold. The Clips are now stacked, but with Golden State, San Antonio, OKC. Memphis, Houston & PHX all strong it will be a dogfight to get out of the west…And they’re the still the Clippers…They could fuck up a wet dream as we saw how the Rockets spanked em last playoffs.
I realize I’m biased against them, but even with DJ’s return and the additions of, Pierce, Lance Stephenson and Wes Johnson I can’t see them getting a chip.
Funny thing is, I was always a half-hearted Clippers fan…I’ve been to FAR more Clip games than Lakers games (used to be much cheaper)…It was the veto and the bandwagon punk ass fans that turned me against them.
It is a public pool, D.
Sounds to me like a lot of loopholes, Burnsy.
I don’t know whether that benefits the league or not.
I do enjoy the free agency shuffling but as you suggest, it sounds like there are a lot of loose ends.
I wonder if that’s something they’ll ever address. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Mark Cuban spearhead a campaign to do so.
Hard to imagine that the West will be even more interesting than it was last year but it looks like we’re headed that way.
Can we start this thing already?
Have you been watching Towns highlights in the rookie games, Bleed? Kid’s got some nice post up moves.
Imagine that. A center in this league that can play with his back to the basket. He’ll revolutionize the game.
Saw him against the Lakers…He plays within himself and yes, looks to be a skilled big man…Jahlil Okafor too…He looked NBA ready with an array of low post moves…But another big that simply bricks free throws…Hard to fathom that these guys can’t hit free throws despite the hours of practice and millions of dollars in incentives to do just that.
Rick Barry’s granny shot should be implemented, but these cats think they’re too cool for that underhand shit…I’d rather make underhanded and look weird than toss up brick after brick regular, but that’s just me.
So how about this, Bleed.
Last year’s draft class was supposed to be the best since 2003.
Wouldn’t it be ironic if this draft class was better than last year’s?