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Dallas Mavericks: Why DeAndre Jordan Should Be A Priority

By Greg Chin

May 10, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) blocks a shot by Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza (1) in game three of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Rockets 128-95 to take a 3-1 lead. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
May 10, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) blocks a shot by Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza (1) in game three of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Rockets 128-95 to take a 3-1 lead. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Dallas Mavericks have emerged as the likeliest team in the league to sign Los Angeles Clippers’ center DeAndre Jordan as he enters free agency.

Mavericks small forward Chandler Parsons has already been linked with spending more time with the big man in an attempt to convince Jordan to join the Mavs. The two are both represented by the same agent, and Parsons has already had success with luring Dwight Howard (who is also represented by Dan Fegan) to his former team, the Houston Rockets.

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If the claim that the Mavericks are Jordan’s preferred destination is true, the organization needs to make signing Jordan their top offseason priority. The team is being linked with other free agents, but signing Jordan could turn the Mavericks into a contender immediately.

Through the first two months of the 2014-15 regular season, the Mavs sported one of the league’s best offenses. On pace to smash the all-time record for scoring efficiency, the offense stuttered and sputtered when they traded for Rajon Rondo, which changed how their offense was played.

The Mavericks’ stunning offense boiled down to two components: devastating rim-rollers and floor spacers. A Monta Ellis pick-and-roll with Tyson Chandler would be flanked with three other shooters – Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons, and Jameer Nelson. Help defenders were reluctant to help off their assignments, which gave Chandler and backup center Brandan Wright an easy lane to the hoop.

By trading for Rondo (one of the league’s worst shooters), they sacrificed their spacing. The Mavs weren’t afforded the same amount of space as they were accustomed to, and losing Wright in the trade also meant that they were short on a rim-roller. At 6’9” with a 7’4” wingspan and a 36-inch vertical leap, Wright was a deadly finisher at the hoop. He shot 74.8 percent in 27 games with the Mavericks last season, and while he wasn’t a starter, his loss severely affected Dallas’ offense.

And now, the Mavericks’ front office needs to learn from their mistakes and acquire another hyper-athletic center who can finish efficiently at the hoop – namely, DeAndre Jordan. Tyson Chandler (who is also entering free agency) and Jordan share a similar playing style. Both centers are devastating rollers to the rim, and are always among the leaders in field goal percentage. Chandler has lost some of his athleticism, which is why Jordan would be a significant upgrade at that position.

By acquiring Jordan, the Mavericks can return to the style of offense that made them such a juggernaut in the early stages of last season. With Jordan on the team, they can pair him alongside Monta Ellis (if they can re-sign him) or a ball-handler capable of driving to the rim on a regular basis to create one of the league’s deadliest pick-and-roll combinations.

While he was with the Clippers, Jordan was already one half of the league’s best pick-and-roll combo – the Mavericks could now have a chance to steal that title.

One of the biggest reasons why Dallas traded for Rondo was for his defensive ability. Despite their incredible offense, many doubted the Mavericks’ title credentials solely due to their defensive liabilities. The Rondo experiment was a failed one, but it did help boost the Mavericks’ defense. With Tyson Chandler clearly a step slower, getting an athletic rim protector will improve the Mavs on the defensive end.

While there are many that doubt Clippers’ head coach Doc Rivers’ claim that Jordan deserved the Defensive Player of the Year award, there’s little doubt that Jordan is one of the best defensive centers in the league. What he lacks in defensive fundamentals, Jordan makes up for in athleticism, defensive instinct and shot-blocking. With Nowitzki at the 4 spot, the Mavericks need every ounce of defense and rim protection they can get at the 5.

Pre-Rondo, the Mavs’ offense propelled them to the top four of the Western Conference. The Rondo trade stagnated the offense, but the team now has another chance to bring back that style of offense with DeAndre Jordan.

Mavericks, don’t mess this up.

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