NBA Trade News: Cavaliers nearly acquired DeAndre Jordan from Clippers

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers were close to finalising a deal for DeAndre Jordan ahead of the Feb. 8 NBA Trade Deadline, according to a new report. Jordan, an unrestricted free agent in July, stayed put in Los Angeles at the deadline as the Clippers continue their push for a playoff berth.

Despite striking out in their pursuit of Jordan, the Cavaliers shook up their roster, acquiring George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Rodney Hood in a series of trades. The Cavs got rid of veterans Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Iman Shumpert, Dwyane Wade, Channing Frye and Derrick Rose in an effort to shore up the roster with youth and athleticism. Since the trades, the Cavs have registered comfortable victories against the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Clippers refused to trade Jordan to the Cavaliers due to their reluctance to absorb the two years and US$21 million (AU$26 million) left on Iman Shumpert's contract. The report adds that the Cavs offered a package of Shumpert, Jae Crowder, Channing Frye and Cleveland's 2018 first-round pick to the Clippers for Jordan.

Why DeAndre Jordan trade to the Cavs fell through…

"Clippers general manager Michael Winger explained to (Koby) Altman that LA didn't want another shooting guard (Iman Shumpert). He hoped to find a third team that would take Shumpert and his $21 million with draft compensation, and have the Clippers get a centre back. Altman and Winger agreed to make more calls to try to find a third team to make the deal work. Winger wondered whether Altman would let him talk to Shumpert's agent about a possible contract buyout, but Altman wanted trade talks to be further along before granting that permission," Wojnarowski wrote in the report published Thursday AEDT.

During the 2015 offseason, Jodan signed a four-year max contract worth US$87 million (AU$113 million) to stay in Los Angeles. At the time, the Clippers were viewed as a legitimate contender for the NBA title, boasting of a Big 3 which also featured point guard Chris Paul and forward Blake Griffin. However, Paul's exit last year led to the recent Griffin trade, giving the Clippers motivation to hit the reset button.

DeAndre Jordan will reportedly turn down his 2018-19 Player Option worth US$24 million (AU$31 million) this July with hopes of signing a new contract. In the middle of his tenth season, Jordan is no longer viewed as a sound investment for championship contenders. NBA insiders don't expect a team to offer Jordan a max contract starting at S$35 million (AU$45 million) per season. Stay tuned for the latest NBA Trade News.