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It's lockdown in Houston, and DeAndre Jordan is far from a hostage.
A heavy-hitting crew of Los Angeles Clippers wrapped up a meeting with Jordan on Wednesday with the center poised to renege on a verbal commitment to the Dallas Mavericks and returning to the only NBA team he has ever played for, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Clippers group is not leaving Jordan's Houston home until at least midnight ET – the earliest he can sign a max contract with the team, according to multiple reports. With big issues out of the way, the group apparently decided to play cards.
Yahoo Source: Clippers, DeAndre Jordan meeting was short. It was clear he was returning to them. Then they started to play cards.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 9, 2015
The Clippers in attendance – coach Doc Rivers, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, and new addition Paul Pierce – appear to have sealed the deal in keeping Jordan, according to ESPN's Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne.
Jordan has not responded to calls from Mavs owner Mark Cuban or forward/recruiter extraordinaire Chandler Parsons, according to multiple reports. Griffin even put a chair in front of a door in Jordan's house.
I'm told that DeAndre Jordan won't even take a phone call from Mark Cuban or Chandler Parsons.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 9, 2015
This isn't the Clippers holding DeAndre Jordan hostage. This is them keeping him company while he avoid facing the Mavs.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 9, 2015
It was reported earlier that Jordan planned to give the Mavs another face-to-face meeting before making a final decision. With that possibility dying as the clock ticks towards midnight (11 p.m. CT in Houston), Cuban has apparently began notifying Mavericks staff that Jordan is staying with the Clippers, according to Stein.
The NBA free-agency moratorium ends at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, when contracts can officially be signed. The league announced Wednesday evening that the the 2015-16 salary cap will jump to $70 million. Should Jordan intend sign with the Clippers once July 9 breaks in the east, he will need an agent present to do so.
DeAndre Jordan needs an agent certification on contract, invalid without it. Agents are expected to join Clippers, Jordan tonight at house.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 9, 2015
The Clippers circumvented Jordan's agent, Dan Fegan, in landing the meeting, according to CBS Sports' Ken Berger. The L.A.-based Fegan was on a flight to Houston on Wednesday, Berger reports.
Jordan began having second thoughts about moving on to the Mavericks soon after giving them a verbal commitment last week, according to USA Today's Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt.
The report states that Jordan's change of heart has been driven by the fact he would be leaving close to $30 million on the table to sign with a new team he doesn't feel is as good as the Clippers.
Stein and Shelburne added that Jordan voiced his second thoughts to Griffin on Monday, which set into motion this series of events.
The Clippers hold Jordan's Bird Rights, meaning only they can offer him a five-year max contract worth approximately $110 million. The center's reported verbal agreement with the Mavericks is four years and $80 million - although those numbers would rise with the news of the increased salary cap Wednesday night.
