Center DeAndre Jordan Likely To Choose Between LA Clippers, Dallas Mavericks

Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan — Time will tell if the Los Angeles Clippers can retain center DeAndre Jordan (right), shown with teammate Chris Paul. Reuters/Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA Today Sports

DeAndre Jordan, the soon-to-be free agent center of the Los Angeles Clippers, is reportedly narrowing down his final choice of teams to the Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks, despite a slew of other organizations interested in his services. The New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers, who both have cap space to entice Jordan with the maximum salary, are among the potential suitors in the upcoming free agency period, which will commence Wednesday.

Jordan is scheduled to meet with his home club Thursday, accompanied by agent Dan Fegan, and it is expected that Clippers General Manager and Coach Doc Rivers will emphasize the big man's seniority and success with the team, which selected him in the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft.

Jordan said he expects to sign a new contract in the next two weeks, declaring he has not shut doors on the possibility of rejoining teammates Chris Paul and Blake Griffin in Los Angeles. Jordan just completed a successful season, leading the league in field goal percentage at 71 percent and rebounding at 15 caroms per game. These numbers and his close bond with the squad will be the main pitch of club owner Steve Ballmer’s effort to retain Jordan -- who nevertheless wants to try free agency.

"I mean I've obviously been [in Los Angeles] seven years, and the past two have been great," Jordan said in March. "Doc [Rivers] has been my biggest supporter and the best coach I've ever had. The team is great. The guys are good. We have great camaraderie. But the free agency process is definitely going to be a fun one."

The Clippers have been clear about tendering the maximum offer in the figure of $109 million for five years, or about $20 million annually, to Jordan. The extra year of security, roughly worth $21 million, is the advantage the Clippers have over the Mavericks, but Dallas owner Marc Cuban still has his eyes set on adding Jordan to a roster that includes defensively challenged forwards such as Dirk Nowitzki and Chandler Parsons.