So, late last night in between Dirty Jobs reruns and a barking dog keeping me up,
Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports
I knew that there was some kind of disturbance in the force. Apparently that disturbance was the entire Los Angeles Clippers organization flying to Houston to get DeAndre Jordan back on their team.
It looks like it worked.
In one of the weirdest free agency I can remember, the Clippers pulled off the inevitable by getting their star center back after he had already verbally committed to the Dallas Mavericks for $80 million over four years.
I had heard the rumors about a “meeting” that was to take place between Jordan and Doc Rivers, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and other members of the team, but kind of just wrote it off. There’s no way he’s coming back to L.A. is what I thought. He gave the Mavericks a verbal for a reason.
Then I saw the emojis on Twitter. Okay, a bit weird, but the emoticons couldn’t be some weird cryptic message that they had got their boy back.
🍌🚤
— Chris Paul (@CP3) July 8, 2015
https://twitter.com/JJRedick/status/618995498238611460
✈️🚁🚙
— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin23) July 8, 2015
Even Paul Pierce tried to get in on the action… kinda.
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) July 8, 2015
But then things got more interesting when Griffin was posting pictures from within the house. Apparently the Clippers were digging in at Jordan’s home, not leaving until he signs. A bit weird (but funny) and it showed their commitment. Word is, the night was filled with card games, video games and ice cream. Sounds like a fun man-date type of night.
Don't agree with the furniture layout but I'm not an interior designer. pic.twitter.com/23PNgQB88z
— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin23) July 9, 2015
Alright everybody goodnight! pic.twitter.com/cME0rFR5LC
— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin23) July 9, 2015
And then just after midnight, the Clippers made it official to the world with one picture.
Home is where your ❤ is. #WelcomeHomeDJ pic.twitter.com/Ov0RoRKMDL
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) July 9, 2015
Then Pierce, as only Pierce would, credited himself (jokingly) with the signing. Hey, if it’s true, then Clippers Nation owes him a few more millions.
That's why they brought me here lol pic.twitter.com/Z64Tkiyp01
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) July 9, 2015
Sure, many won’t like that Jordan gave up on his word and spurned the Mavericks (especially Mark Cuban), but who cares. NBA teams dump players all the time at a moment’s notice without telling the player, so why can’t it be the other way around? Jordan is staying with the team that drafted him, will continue to improve and have the better chance of winning it all immediately. And if he hates the team after a few years, he can opt-out. Win-win.
Everything is better for the big man in L.A.
Source: Twitter
