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[d3si]

DeAndre Jordan took coward's way out, leaving Mavs in ruins
15m - DEANDRE JORDAN CHANDLER PARSONS +2 more
Jean-Jacques Taylor, ESPN Staff Writer

DeAndre Jordan had every right to change his mind, put his family first and renege on his commitment to join the Dallas Mavericks.

But he took the coward's way out, refusing to accept phone calls from the Mavs' front office or his good buddy Chandler Parsons. Nor did he return text messages or tell owner Mark Cuban face-to-face why he changed his mind -- a decision that will take the Mavs years to overcome.

Emotionally, this franchise might never recover from Jordan's decision to re-sign with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Every MFFL -- Mavs Fan for Life -- has the right to boo him as long and as loud as they can until the day he retires.

If you're old enough to remember, the Mavs drafted Kiki Vandeweghe with the 11th pick of the first round in 1980, but he didn't want to play on an expansion team. The Mavs traded him six months later, and Mavs fans booed him literally every time he touched the ball for years.

Jordan should be prepared to get the same treatment. At least the Mavs acquired a couple of first-round draft picks in the Vandeweghe deal.

Jordan left nothing but a wrecked franchise. How wild is that? A few days ago, the Mavs felt good about their two-year plan to build a legitimate contender.

Now, the entire franchise is in disarray because a 26-year-old free agent changed his mind.

Without Jordan, who led the league in rebounding last season, the Mavs are a raggedy team with no assets worth mentioning. It's the worst place a franchise can find itself, because it can no longer sell hope.

Bad teams such as the Boston Celtics that have a ton of assets -- young talent or No.1 draft picks -- sell hope to their fan bases. Even awful franchises such as the Sacramento Kings or the Philadelphia 76ers can sell hope because they have young players with potential.

The Mavs have ignored the draft for so long, they don't have any young assets.They must rely on free agency to replenish their roster because they either can't draft good players or they can't develop them.

The Mavs won't make the playoffs next year, and we have no idea when they'll make it again.

Their entire offseason was built around getting Jordan, which they did. The problem, of course, is his commitment lasted just five days.

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised. Maybe Donnie Nelson and Cuban and Parsons, their chief recruiter, were so busy chugging Champagne, smoking stogies and congratulating each other that they didn't ponder what it meant that Jordan never made a single public statement pledging his allegiance to the Mavs.

Not that it matters.

This franchise had a heck of a 15-year run, but it's over. Jordan was supposed to be the link to the future, a piece the Mavs could build around.

Instead, he'll forever be known as the man who destroyed the franchise.

The Mavs essentially let center Tyson Chandler go to Phoenix because they went all in on Jordan, which made sense considering he had been linked to the Mavs for months.

After all, he was a Texas kid who played high school and college ball in the Lone Star State. And in Dallas, he could have been the team's focal point, a star if you will.

That's never going to happen with the Clippers, where point guard Chris Paul is the face of the franchise and Blake Griffin is a star.

Jordan could've been the man in Dallas once Dirk Nowitzki retired. Still, Dirk's selfless approach would've allowed Jordan to get all the shine he deserved this year.

He took a similar approach with Monta Ellis, because Dirk's secure with his legacy, and winning is all he cares about.

All that's left now is for the Mavs to rebuild. That means a team that has not finished below .500 in the 15 years since Cuban bought the team must lose at least 50 games next season.

Sixty losses would be even better.

Boston gets Dallas' pick unless it's in the top seven, which means the Mavs need to be as awful as they can possibly be to secure the highest pick possible.

They don't need to acquire center Roy Hibbert or any other average center who will help them win too many games. Losing must be the Mavs' top priority for at least the next year.

The sad days have arrived. It's your right to boo Jordan forever.

 

[nelson999]

 

 
Collison/Rondo/BenMac/Belinelli

not much playing time for him barring injury. 

Dude. I think the Kings are deep but let's not fool each other into thinking that's a foursome that you can't break in to 

Regardless, you don't trade him away for a 50-60 pick

im not saying i think it's a great deal but im assuming they have been shopping him and couldn't get anything better. He was probably going to be cut if they didn't trade him 

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

 
im not saying i think it's a great deal but im assuming they have been shopping him and couldn't get anything better. He was probably going to be cut if they didn't trade him 

Cut? Not even going to make a million this year plus he's expiring

Were there indications he was going to be cut

 

[nelson999]

 

Yes

 

[jc619er]

 This was without a doubt my favorite day in Twitter history. And NT was lights out. I can't believe I actually got work done today.

 

[rck3sactown]

Spurs doe 

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

 
Yes

Link? 

 

[rck3sactown]

 

rck wasn't banned

LTB was trollin

tbh I hope you have a great rest of the week

you seem like a cool dude, man

 

[a-friend]

Only teams left that can sign Kanter to an offer that meets his demands, Philly/Portland and now Dallas.

Looks like OKC won him

 

[nelson999]

 

 
Yes

Link? 

Don't have one but it's been the chatter in Kings land

 

[jpzx]

Ray McCallum was nasty at Detroit under pop, I expect him to get back to that in San Antonio under Pop

 

[nelson999]

Kings suck but their 3rd PG is a beast and they're idiots for losing him 

 

[jpzx]

@WojYahooNBA: Several GM's solution to changing moratorium: Push back start of free agency until now, once the salary cap numbers are calculated.

 

[friscostylez]

Kings suck but their 3rd PG is a beast and they're idiots for losing him 

Maybe they will take back their trade offer??

 

[a-friend]

Kings a playoff team man.

Don't mind that suck business.

 

[awwsome]

DeAndre getting booed out the building every Dallas game for the rest of his career.


Dirk looking at Cuban like an abusive husband that keeps getting second chances.

 

[senorroboto2k5]

View media item 1620356
At least pick up the calls

 

[earldagoat]

Dallas needs to tank hard next year if they want to keep their draft pick.

 

[based mod]

Spurs doe 

Time to change the avy

 

[nelson999]

At least pick up the calls

Ouch

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

 
Kings suck but their 3rd PG is a beast and they're idiots for losing him 

Don't do this. He's not a beast by any means he's just not worth cutting or trading for a 50-60 pick

Rather keep him than just give him away. If anything let him walk in free agency, hold on to him as long as possible. I have to believe his value is higher than what they got

 

[rck3sactown]

View media item 1620366

 

[rck3sactown]

Spurs doe 

Time to change the avy

its not time yet

 

[a-friend]

Not excusing or condoning DJ's decision to not pick up the calls from Cuban.

But You don't want to talk to a good salesman when you are trying to back out of a deal.

Especially the same salesman who initially closed you. 

Re-closing a deal is easy for an elite salesman.

 

[nelson999]

 

 
Kings suck but their 3rd PG is a beast and they're idiots for losing him 

Don't do this. He's not a beast by any means he's just not worth cutting or trading for a 50-60 pick

Rather keep him than just give him away. If anything let him walk in free agency, hold on to him as long as possible. I have to believe his value is higher than what they got

apparently not because i know they have been looking to trade him. 

His 3pt% is worse than Rondo's