DeAndre Jordan Re-signs With Clippers, Reneges On Commitment To Sign $80M-Plus Deal With Mavericks

Rumors of free-agent center DeAndre Jordan walking away from his verbal agreement with the Dallas Mavericks to stay with the Los Angeles Clippers have turned out to be true. The LA Clippers took to Twitter just after midnight Eastern time, to confirm Jordan’s “homecoming.”

The confirmation followed several media reports claiming Jordan had decided to renege on his commitment to sign a four-year deal worth over $80 million with the Mavericks, and re-sign another lucrative deal with the Clippers.

Under the new contract, Jordan has agreed to a four-year deal with the Los Angeles team, which will pay him nearly $87 million, USA TODAY reported, citing a person with knowledge of the matter.

Jordan, who is coming off a career-best 11.5-point average and 15.0 rebounds, reportedly signed up again with the LA Clippers when the NBA’s free agency moratorium lifted at 12:01 a.m. EDT Thursday.

He did not respond to any of the Mavericks’ attempts to contact him Wednesday, ESPN reported, adding that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban informed several employees of the team that Jordan would be staying with the LA Clippers.

After agreeing to sign with the Mavericks last week, Jordan reportedly began to waver on the decision. He then communicated with Clippers teammates and contacted Doc Rivers, the current head coach and president of basketball operations for the LA Clippers, before hosting a reunion meeting in his Houston home on Wednesday, USA TODAY reported.

“He reached out to us and said I changed my mind,” a LA Clippers source told ESPN, adding that Jordan himself initiated the process of his return a few days ago.

Another source, who was present in the meeting, said: “It's done. I wouldn't have left if it wasn't,” ESPN reported.