DeAndre Jordan and his representation are no fools. They know the cap is due to rise, and they're hoping to capitalize with a flexible offer this summer.
Jordan is said to be seeking a four-year deal, with a player option after three seasons. That way, he can opt out and become a free agent once the cap jumps between 2016 and 2018, reports ESPN's Chris Broussard.
There's plenty of incentive for Jordan to take a wait-and-see approach given the NBA's unsteady cap climate. Many teams would love to lock Jordan into a four or five-year max, but that figure starts at $19 million. The Clippers are the only team that could offer him a five-year deal.
| Season | Re-sign | Sign elsewhere |
|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | $19,027,800 | $19,027,800 |
| 2016-17 | $20,454,885 | $19,884,051 |
| 2017-18 | $21,881,970 | $20,740,302 |
| 2018-19 | $23,309,055 | $21,596,553 |
| 2019-20 | $24,736,140 | |
| Total | $109,409,850 | $81,248,706 |
(Courtesy: Pro Basketball Talk)
Maximum contracts are based on a percentage of the cap as a function of service time. If Jordan opted out after three seasons, he would re-enter the market with 10 years of experience, thus making him eligible for a max offer worth 35 percent of a cap that is estimated to top $108 million, which translates to $38 million per season.
But a larger paycheck isn't the only thing on Jordan's agenda. He also wants a bigger role on offense, reports Broussard. Jordan is said to be tired of taking a backseat behind Blake Griffin and Chris Paul.
After posting a career season with the Los Angeles Clippers, Jordan is drawing plenty of attention. The Clippers, Lakers, Knicks and Mavericks have all set plans to woo the dominant center.
Jordan's first meeting will be with the Mavericks, who are rumored to be the leading candidate to land Jordan should he leave Los Angeles. In the meantime, he's been hanging out with Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons in Houston.
The Knicks and Lakers also have plans to meet with Jordan, and Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony have called on behalf of their teams, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
Finally, the Clippers have also pressed forward with their efforts to re-sign their center. Head coach Doc Rivers and actor Jamie Foxx recently joined Jordan for dinner, and Paul has reached out despite their somewhat strained relationship throughout the season.
The 26-year-old Jordan enjoyed his most successful season to date with the Clippers, logging career-highs in field-goal percentage (71 percent), rebounding (15 per game), and points per game (11.5). He led the league in rebounds for the second-straight season and topped field-goal percentage for the third-consecutive campaign.
