NBA Trade Rumors: Is There Still a Chance That DeAndre Jordan Will End Up With the Cleveland Cavaliers This Season?
Deal between the Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers could hinge on the Brooklyn Nets' pick
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for DeAndre Jordan for quite some time now, and yet a deal between the reigning Eastern Conference champions and the Los Angeles Clippers still appears nowhere close to being made.
That is the case even though the Cavaliers and Jordan seem like a good match.
Defending has been an issue for the Cavaliers all season, and as one of the better rim-protectors in the league, Jordan could presumably help them out on that end of the floor. As for Jordan, he may appreciate the chance to contend for a title with the Cavaliers.
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Even the Cavaliers and Clippers seem like a match. The Clippers are looking for picks they can use to bring in young players, and the Cavaliers just happen to have a potential lottery pick, with that being the one they are getting from the Brooklyn Nets via the Boston Celtics as part of the Kyrie Irving trade.
Still, while there may be matches here, it is far from certain that a deal will be struck.
Speaking to "Outside the Lines," NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski shared that the Cavaliers would only put that pick on the table for a player who can "put them over the top," and apparently, the franchise does not regard Jordan as that type of player.
That is an obstacle that can get in the way of a deal being made. As Cleveland.com's Terry Pluto noted in a recent article, the Clippers "would strongly consider" trading Jordan if that Brooklyn pick was part of the package they were getting back.
The Cavaliers and Clippers agreeing to a deal that involves Jordan but not the Brooklyn pick may still be possible, but it is not exactly looking like a lock at this point.
Things can certainly still change with a few weeks left to go before the trade deadline. But at this point, it may take one side budging from their current position to get a deal done.
