The inexplicable curse of the Los Angeles Clippers, real or imagined, continued to rear its ugly head Sunday, and it could cost the team their marquee free agent.
The Clippers became only the ninth team in NBA history to cough up a 3-1 series lead, losing Game 7 to the Houston Rockets amid exhaustion and bowing out of the playoffs earlier than expected for a fourth consecutive season. While no player would be justified in matching the potential despondency of superstar Chris Paul, those close to the club suggest the entire team is in disbelief.
Count DeAndre Jordan among the few who are not surprised by the early ouster. Asked about his future with the team - Jordan will be one of the league's hottest unrestricted free agents this summer - the league's leading rebounder took the loss in stride as a part of Clipper life.
"I've been here for seven years, so this is what I'm used to," Jordan said. "But I'm not thinking about that, man."
That's not to say Jordan was blaming a curse, or the franchise, or anyone else. Instead, he put the blame on the shoulders of the players, saying that coughing up a 3-1 lead was "nobody else's fault but ours."
But with Jordan set for free agency, his comments about being used to losing could cause worry in Lob City. He's said to have mutual interest with the Dallas Mavericks and should have plenty more interested teams calling on July 1.
Jordan will likely receive a maximum contract on the open market, something the Clippers can acquiesce to while further limiting their already scarce financial flexibility. With four consecutive early playoff exits, evaluating whether the three-star model, at the cost of depth, is the right one for the Clippers, especially when head coach and president Doc Rivers has shown an ineptitude at filling out a roster on a budget.
Losing Jordan would be a major hit to a core that still has a few years of their window opening if he re-signs. Jordan led the league in field goal percentage for a third consecutive season and in rebounding for a second consecutive year, and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Near-7-footers who shoot 71 percent and average 11.5 points, 15 rebounds and 2.2 blocks aren't readily available, and losing him because of a perceived curse or poor roster management would only serve to continue the Clippers' also-ran ways.
