Although Mark Cuban seems to think DeAndre Jordan can be a Shaquille O’Neal like player for the Mavs this season, many believe the Dallas Mavericks newest acquisition might struggle without LA Clippers point guard Chris Paul throwing him easy lobs all game long.
It’s an understandable sentiment considering DeAndre Jordan isn’t exactly known for his offensive capabilities, but what made the big man leave the Los Angeles Clippers? Was it simply the money?
Perhaps. Or maybe it was something more – like Chris Paul himself.
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According to ESPN, DeAndre Jordan had grown tired of Chris Paul and Cp3’s ‘unique’ ways of handling the roster, including his lack of desire to give the former Texas Longhorn a high five.
The core of the team had been together for more than three years, and tempers were wearing thin. Jordan and Chris Paul had gotten into it more than once, which led Jordan to start seriously contemplating what it might be like to play elsewhere in 2015-16.
He was tired of Paul’s constant barking and petty gestures, like distributing high-fives to the three other guys on the floor following a timeout but somehow freezing out Jordan. Optics aside, the biggest issue for Jordan was that, despite the leaps and bounds he made to be named first team all-defense, the Clippers always treated him like the player he was when he arrived in the NBA, and never like the player he’d become.
Sounds a little petty, sure, but we’ve seen guys leave NBA teams for smaller things than that before.
Hopefully CP3 keeps giving Blake Griffin needed high-fives, for the Clippers sake.
At least Chris Paul hasn’t went rouge yet and taken a shot at DeAndre Jordan like Doc Rivers’ son.[/sociallocker]
