Before the Cavaliers formed an entirely new team they actually had a deal in place to acquire DeAndre Jordan. That is, until the Clippers backed out.
The Cleveland Cavaliers made a bevvy of trades at the trade deadline to help LeBron James out, and now they look like the best team in the Eastern Conference once again. Before the Cavs acquired Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. from the Los Angeles Lakers, they actually had a deal in place to acquire DeAndre Jordan from the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Cavs would send Jae Crowder, Channing Frye, Iman Shumpert and Cleveland’s 2018 first-round pick to the Clippers for Jordan. The deal was nixed when the Clippers wanted to get a third team involved to take Shumpert and a pick for another center in return.
The reason the Clippers wanted a center from a third team was because they reportedly weren’t going to take Shumpert, J.R. Smith or Tristan Thompson in any kind of deal for Jordan. After that deal fell through the Cavs turned their attention to the Lakers, and eventually got a deal done with them.
Next: The Rockets are special with Chris Paul
The Cavs had been at the center of most talks when it came to a possible Jordan trade, and everything almost came full circle, but now that both teams have gone their separate ways things have seemed to work out alright. The Cavaliers have destroyed the Celtics (and ruined Paul Pierce’s day) and beaten the Oklahoma City Thunder since the trade deadline.
The Clippers on the other hand are also only a half game out of the eight seed in the Western Conference, and will be happy to have Jordan alongside Lou Williams to lead this team. The Clippers are overachieving this season, and it could tempt Jordan to pick up his option for next season and remain with the Clippers