2015 NBA free agency: Mavericks, DeAndre Jordan reportedly agree

The Dallas Mavericks and center DeAndre Jordan have agreed to a four-year, $80 million deal, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. Jordan gives the Mavericks a replacement for center Tyson Chandler, who left earlier in the week to sign a four-year, $52 million contract with the Phoenix Suns. It had been reported earlier in the day by Marc Stein of ESPN that Jordan was on the verge of a deal.

Landing Jordan is a massive coupe for the Mavericks while at the same time, crushing the Los Angeles Clippers. Los Angeles had been working hard to retain Jordan in hopes of keeping its core together. However, the Clippers are now left to wonder what might have been, while hoping to add another superstar down the line. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will surely get them into the playoffs, but the days of a championship hope have gone out the window.

While the Mavericks don’t join the Western Conference’s elite with this move, it certainly gets them closer to the top. Dallas should be able to jump over Los Angeles and perhaps the Houston Rockets, while still lagging a bit behind the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors.

Last year, Jordan was one of the best centers in the game. The 26-year-old out of Texas A&M University averaged 11.5 points and 15.0 rebounds per game, while consistently being in the discussion for NBA Defensive Player of the Year, which was ultimately won by Kawhi Leonard.

Jordan now joins a nucleus that includes future Hall-of-Famer Dirk Nowtizki and wing Chandler Parsons, along with free-agent signing Wesley Matthews. Needless to say, the Mavericks fans have plenty to be excited about going into the 2015-16 campaign.