NBA Trade Deadline 2018: 5 DeAndre Jordan trades the Clippers would have to consider

4. DeAndre Jordan to the Cavaliers, take two

Clippers get: Tristan Thompson, Ante Zizic, Channing Frye, Cavaliers 2018 first round pick, 2020 second round pick from Miami Heat

Cavaliers get: DeAndre Jordan, Lou Williams

In this deal, the Clippers could probably ask for another second round pick from the Cavs because Jordan and Williams are their most intriguing assets. But this deal would give the Clippers a mix of two roster building strategies. Thompson isn’t the same type of defensive center Jordan is and he’s tied up for longer, but he’s a serviceable NBA player. Frye can fill minutes now and then clear some money off the books this summer. The Cavs’ 2018 pick and Zizic are assets the Clippers can use to start amassing young, cheap talent that could be part of their next generation or use to flip for other pieces later.

The concern here for the Clippers would be that this is not a large enough return for Jordan and Lou Williams. Both players (assuming Jordan opts out of his contract) are expiring contracts that the Cavs would have to pony up to keep beyond this season. Were Williams on a slightly longer deal, Los Angeles could probably ask for a little bit more. Taking on Thompson’s salary is not ideal, either, but Cleveland isn’t chalk full of pieces other teams would necessarily want.

Another version of this deal that could work is to remove Thompson and insert Iman Shumpert and Jae Crowder. If the Clippers wanted to get especially weird, they could ask for Isaiah Thomas’ expiring contract and prioritize salary that comes off the books this summer.