Over the last couple of days, NBA players with the clauses in their contract around the league have been deciding on their upcoming player options for the 2018-19 season. Heading into Friday, June 29th, which happens to be the final day for players to decide, only three big-name players in Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, LA Clippers star DeAndre Jordan, and Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki remained. James announced his decision early Friday morning, and now, we have Jordan's as well.
According to Brad Turner of the LA Times, the Clippers center will be opting out of the $24 million player option for next season and will become an unrestricted free agent.
Jordan averaged 12.0 points, a career-high 15.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and a career-low 0.9 blocks per game. It was a strange and long season for Jordan, who had to endure injury struggles, team struggles, trade speculation, and the trade of one of his great friends in Blake Griffin.
Jordan will now enter unrestricted free agency, where he will likely command a long-term deal with a team that wants him, something he's stressed over the last couple of months with reports that the Clippers put explored trades for him repeatedly. In an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints last month prior to the NBA Finals, Jordan said he's going to do what's best for himself and his family.
“It's a business at the end of the day. You can't let your feelings and emotions and the loyalty part get into it because that's all bulls**t. It's like, at this point, you've got to figure out what's best for you, your career, your family, longevity. Those are the things that you have to worry about. So I feel like now, that's what it is.”
Marc Stein of The New York Times reported that the Mavs did not want to give up any draft picks for Jordan, instead opting to chase him in free agency.
The Mavericks did not want to surrender draft compensation in a potential trade with the Clippers for DeAndre Jordan and prefer instead to pursue him in free agency, league sources say
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 29, 2018
The longest-tenured player in LA Clippers history, Jordan has played his last game with the organization.
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