:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60233887/usa_today_10708269.0.jpg)
The Dallas Mavericks have reached a verbal agreement with DeAndre Jordan on a one year $24.1 million deal in the opening hours of free agency according to Marc Stein:
DeAndre Jordan and the Dallas Mavericks have verbally agreed on a one-year deal approaching the $24.1 million option with the Clippers for next season that Jordan relinquished Friday, according to league sources
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 1, 2018
The deal allows Jordan to make exactly what he opted out of with the Clippers last night while keeping both his and the Dallas Mavericks options open for next season.
Last week Marc Stein of The New York Times and Tim McMahon of ESPN reported the Mavericks were targeting DeAndre Jordan in free agency. After the Mavs and Clippers failed to agree upon any sign-and-trade deals, Jordan opted out of the final year of his contract which would have paid him $24 million.
In 2017-18 with the Clippers, Jordan averaged 12 points, 15 rebounds and nearly one block per game. While he put up career high rebound numbers, Jordan saw a dip in field goal percentage, blocks per game and overall defensive impact. Some of those statistical slips can be attributed to the loss of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. Nevertheless, the Mavericks will soon find out how much the 30-year-old center has left in the tank.
The Mavericks have been infatuated with Jordan for quite some time, and for good reason. Jordan is a pick-and-roll monster, setting crushing screens before blitzing to the rim. The Mavericks have prolonged many centers’ careers through this action, but they’ve never had a player of Jordan’s abilities. With the addition of Luka Doncic, Carlisle should be able to terrorize opponents with the pick-and-roll action.
The 10-year veteran also fills a gaping rebounding hole. The Mavericks have been one of the worst rebounding teams in the league, finishing in the bottom five the past two season. Jordan, on the other hand, ranked second and third in rebounds per game the last two seasons.
The Mavericks are making a big investment on an aging center who relies heavily on his athleticism. But the team has been searching for a center since the Tyson Chandler days, and Jordan, who has missed only 11 games in the past seven seasons, is a perfect fit in Dallas.
After missing out the first time, the Mavericks finally got their guy.