Los Angeles Clippers: Is DeAndre Jordan worth a max contract?

With DeAndre Jordan almost a lock to opt out of his contract, it poses a common question: Is he worth a max contract?

When one thinks of a Big 3, what comes to mind is three great players, all capable of leading their own respective franchises, who decided to come together in the hopes of achieving something greater.

While both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin fit that mold, DeAndre Jordan‘s limited offensive game made him a questionable fit in the Los Angeles Clippers‘ Big 3.

One of the best rebounding shot-blockers in the game today, Jordan is elite on the defensive side of the ball, but couldn’t possibly be tasked with carrying the load on offense. Yet with Paul and Griffin in the fold, Jordan didn’t have to, which made it easier for him to do what he does best.

Now, with both Paul and Griffin shipped off to new cities, Jordan is the Clippers’ best player without a best player’s game. Sure, he can grab 20 rebounds and block five shots, but his offense is reliant on those surrounding him, making it hard for him to lead his team to victories.

With the option to opt out of his contract this offseason, Jordan could command a hefty price on the market. After all, there are plenty of teams that could view Jordan as the missing piece to their championship puzzle. The only question is, are the Clippers one of them?

Jordan’s current contract is paying him roughly $24 million this season, which makes it reasonable to assume that would be the minimum asking price for his services this summer.

In what is arguably phase one of a rebuild, the Clippers are off to a nice start.

They received a nice mix of cheap veterans from the Houston Rockets in exchange for Paul and acquired a 2018 1st round pick among other assets in the trade that sent Griffin to the Detroit Pistons.

If Jordan were to opt out, that would give the Clippers over $24 million in salary to spend this offseason, which could be used with an eye toward the future.

Would the Clippers really be willing to dry up all their salary cap for a player incapable of carrying his own team to victory?

Sure, Jordan can impact a game more than most, but committing that much money to him is sending a message that he’s the Clippers’ best player, and a team led by Jordan has a ceiling that is far too low for what he’d be paid.

Jordan has stated that he’d like to be a Clipper for another 10 years, and the team would probably like to make that a reality, but if his asking price gets too high, it’s important for owner Steve Ballmer to know when to back away.

The Clippers are off to a great start in their rebuilding phase. To financially handcuff themselves to a one-sided player runs counterintuitive to what they should be trying to do.

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Any team would acquire a good player at the right price. If the Clippers want to stay on the right path, they’ll make sure they know what Jordan’s is.