Los Angeles Clippers: DeAndre Jordan signs with agent Jeff Schwartz

After spending the last two years without an agent, DeAndre Jordan signed with Jeff Schwartz in a move that might signal a trade in the days to come.

DeAndre Jordan has been without an agent since he fired Dan Fegan following the infamous offseason incident with the Dallas Mavericks.

While NBA players rarely decide to not sign an agent, the move made sense given his contract situation. Once DeAndre decided to re-sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, he was bound to receive a maximum contract. With that in mind, he did not really need an agent to negotiate the contract terms.

DeAndre’s lack of an agent made it difficult for other teams to contact him. That might not have mattered before this season. However, with the Clippers potentially looking to trade him, the lack of an agent became a problem.

That potential roadblock to a trade disappeared today. According to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, DeAndre signed Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management. Jordan can opt out of the final year of his contract after this season, so any team interested in him would need to determine their odds of getting him to re-sign. Without an agent, those negotiations were effectively impossible due to tampering laws. However, with Jeff Schwartz in tow, the trade talks around DeAndre Jordan will gain momentum in the coming days.

Future outlook

It is possible that DeAndre Jordan would have signed an agent regardless of the Clippers’ current situation. After all, his player option for next season means that he is virtually guaranteed to enter free agency. He would need an agent heading into the offseason in pretty much any scenario.

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However, the timing of this move is a clear indication that the Clippers are exploring trades for their star big man. If DJ signed an agent in anticipation of the offseason, he probably would not have waited until about a quarter of the way through the season to do so.

Alternatively, he would have waited until the offseason to make that move. The timing of the Jeff Schwartz addition makes it clear that the Clippers need an intermediary to talk to potential Jordan suitors about their odds of keeping him around after this season.

This move will open the floodgates for DeAndre Jordan trade offers. On top of that, the move signifies that the Clippers are not only willing to trade Jordan but could be actively seeking out offers.

The main question, then, will be what the Clippers are looking for in return. They would probably be best served by looking for a treasure trove of future assets. However, Blake Griffin‘s presence on the roster makes it difficult for the team to tear down for a full rebuild. With that in mind, the Clippers might look for an in-between move. They could look to get back a future pick and a veteran piece or two to keep the team afloat.

DeAndre Jordan is the longest-tenured member of the Clippers. In his 10 years in the league, he has developed from a second round project into an All-NBA center. If his Clippers career comes to a close this season, DeAndre should not be remembered for this year but for all the years before it.

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He is one of the best big men in the team’s history, and that should be his Clippers legacy regardless of how his time with the team comes to a close.