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The Los Angeles Clippers are now hopeful that they won't lose DeAndre Jordan after all, according to a report from Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.
In a last-ditch effort to retain their star center, the Clippers are attempting to get Jordan to reverse his decision to sign with the Dallas Mavericks and remain in L.A., Marc Stein of ESPN first reported Wednesday.
Jordan reportedly agreed to a four-year, $81-million maximum contract with the Mavericks last week but began having second thoughts on Monday and reached out to Doc Rivers. He's now once again "50-50" on his decision, according to a report from Arash Markazi of ESPN, and the Clippers have grown "cautiously optimistic."
The Clippers pushed for, and received, a Wednesday meeting with Jordan, where head coach and president Doc Rivers, billionaire owner Steve Ballmer, and several players will make a final face-to-face pitch.
Meanwhile, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has arrived in Houston to "fend off" the Clippers' final push, Stein reports, and the Mavericks have been promised their own face-to-face before Jordan makes any decision.
The race to meet Jordan in person led to an interesting exchange of tweets between players on both sides.
Because of the NBA's July moratorium, players and teams can verbally agree to deals as early as July 1 but nothing can officially be signed until July 9. While it seems incredibly unlikely to happen, Jordan technically hasn't signed with Dallas and would be within his rights to change course and stay with the Clippers. Hedo Turkoglu did something similar in 2009, ditching a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers to sign with the Toronto Raptors.
It's a bit of an uncouth move from the Clippers, but they, too, are only breaking unwritten rules of decorum. The Clippers are said to have been upset they got fewer meetings than the Mavericks with which to convince Jordan to stay, and that Jordan's camp pushed him to sign with Dallas.
Clippers players are said to have reached out to Jordan, and he's reportedly "torn" and "unsure" about his choice since making it. Not only have players been reaching out, but they've been going directly to him rather than through his agent, Dan Fegan, who is friends with Cuban and also represents Jordan-friend and super-recruiter Parsons.
It's unclear what the Clippers could be offering now that they weren't last week, when Jordan decided to leave. They can give him an additional year on a contract and larger annual raises, but it was always believed Jordan wanted the flexibility of a shorter-term deal with a player option.
There have also been reports that his relationship with star point guard Chris Paul grew strained but remained respectful, and Jordan is close with Blake Griffin, who reportedly spoke with the pseudo-free agent already. Paul, who has been pushing Jordan to change his mind, is expected to join Wednesday's meeting, according to Stein, and it's possible that conversation will be the most crucial for this Hail Mary.
It seems like a long-shot, as Jordan risks alienating his agent, his close friend in Parsons, and potential future suitors, not to mention the league as a whole. But the heart wants what it wants, and there remains time for the Clippers to retain their No. 35 overall pick from the 2008 NBA Draft until he's put pen to paper.
Maybe their offseason won't get an F-minus after all.
