The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to upgrade their defense heading down the home stretch and into the playoffs, and DeAndre Jordan is reportedly a hot target.
The Los Angeles Clippers center has been the subject of trade talks for weeks, and the Clippers are reportedly open to moving him in return for a draft pick, Sam Amico reports. This combination of interest could be a perfect match, and now we have an idea about what the Clippers might want in return for the big man.
“It’s become pretty clear the Clippers are open to moving Jordan, but it’s also evident they aren’t going to just give him away for nothing. They want a draft pick, and if you’re talking Cavs, you’d better believe the Clippers would want the Cavs’ first-rounder from the Brooklyn Nets.”
Given the fact that the Brooklyn pick isn’t quite as valuable as it was thought to be initially, this scenario seems like a win-win for both sides. Cleveland is playing for right now, while it’s clear Los Angeles needs to rebuild. If a trade was pulled off, however, the Cavaliers would likely also need to give the Clippers Tristan Thompson in return (Amico reports LA would “insist” upon that).
At this time, per the report, the Cavaliers aren’t ready to take the leap quite yet. They’re reportedly “sniffing around” on this potential trade, though clearly the Cavs are interested in adding such a skilled interior defender, who’d be a huge asset. We’re talking about a player who’s value offensively is mostly all about his ability to clean up the glass and score on the rebound, which fits Cleveland’s need perfectly.