NBA Rumors: DeAndre Jordan Trade Deal With Cavaliers Excluded 9-Figure Extension
Los Angeles Clippers player DeAndre Jordan was expecting to be traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers but the deadline came and went and no deal closed. The trade failed for a variety of reasons but one glaring factor pointed to Jordan's extension. Allegedly, the Cavalier's management was not sold on it.
According to ESPN, Cleveland's team manager, Koby Altman, was actually eager to sign on Jordan. At the last minute, however, he made the decision to pass because of Jordan's extension that had an asking price of over $100 million.
The deal was further complicated by the Clipper's other arrangement with Iman Shumpert as the team did not want to get another shooting guard. Both Altman and Clippers GM Michael Winger tried to make more calls in the last hours prior to the deadline and hoped that a third team would be interested in Shumpert to make the trade work.
"Altman stayed on the phone with [Clippers GM Michael] Winger on Thursday morning, keeping the DeAndre Jordan deal within reach," the report stated. "The Clippers were closing on a third team to take on Shumpert, and Altman had to determine whether he could create a pathway to a deal with that first-round pick still on its way to the Lakers," the report further revealed.
The clincher, however, was Jordan's extension. Between this and Shumpert's position, the Cavs decided to say no.
Altman, Winger and the Clippers president Lawrence Frank had been in discussions for several weeks prior to the trade deadline. Even then, the Cleveland team was already firm about not taking Shumpert, nor JR Smith and Tristan Thompson.
Shumpert was eventually traded to the Sacramento Kings in a winning deal but Jordan's place remained a problem. What happens then once he hits free agent status by the summer? Jordan previously expressed that he doesn't feel the Clippers actually want to keep him.
