OKC Thunder could be involved in rumored DeAndre Jordan sign and trade

A 2015 heart break turned 2018 romcom; How a DeAndre Jordan trade to Dallas could impact the OKC Thunder.

It may seem strange to be citing a rumored sign and trade between two squads as having anything to do with the OKC Thunder. But, read on and you’ll discover how this could impact OKC by taking care of a very big problem.

Finally, after three years DeAndre Jordan will (reportedly) be a member of the Dallas Mavericks. We all remember that strange, strange July night in 2015. The night that spawned NBA Twitter, and gave a look at how fun the NBA offseason truly is.

Emojis, locked doors, and Mark Cuban vigorously circling through a Los Angeles neighborhood trying to identify DeAndre Jordan’s house. Cuban, like a hurt high school lover, begged for the Clippers big man to answer his phone calls left empty handed in 2015.

Mavericks and Cuban may be experiencing deja vu:

Mark Cuban, and oddly enough then-Maverick Chandler Parson flew from LAX-to-Dallas with their head down. They could not find his house, then, they (Jordan, Griffin, and other Clippers) would not let the duo into the house upon arrival.

The Dallas Mavericks Organization, and their fans, caught a lot of heat for that misfire. They were the punch-lines of many jokes. DeAndre Jordan just added to the long list of swings-and-misses in free agency. The Mavs missed out on Dwight Howard in 2013, Deron Williams in 2012, Carmelo Anthony in 2014, and most recently in 2016 for Hassan Whiteside.

Some of those “misses” were not a bad thing in hindsight, but in the moment of that metaphorically cold July night, it was a pressure cooker of raw, sad emotion for Mavs fans.

Now that the backstory has been rehashed, let’s fast forward to 2018. Surely there is no way Dallas will welcome DeAndre Jordan with open arms right? DeMarcus Cousins, Clint Capela, Julius Randle, or even Jabari Parker would be better options, right? And, how in the world does this even remotely relate to the OKC Thunder?

DeAndre Jordan, the Newest member of the Dallas Mavericks. But how?

DeAndre Jordan has a player option for 2018-19. If he picks up said option, (which he would need to do prior to midnight June 30) he will be on a 1-year $24-million dollar deal. While the option would be to play for the Clippers, everyone in the know believes that if Jordan picks up his option it is just a matter of time until he is dealt to Dallas.

Marc Stein who has always been at the forefront of Mavericks news, put out a tweet starting with a foot note, ending with a done deal all but certain after more media members got involved.

Marc Stein Dallas sources historically accurate:

Going back to Stein, in an article he penned for the New York Times, gave more details about the potential pairing. Specifically Stein notes the deadline

"“The Clippers have granted permission to Jordan and his New York-based agent, Jeff Schwartz, to explore trade scenarios with other teams as they weigh the pros and cons of opting into the final season of Jordan’s current contract, according to the people."

Stein also prefaces the move as a wash-repeat of last offseason when the Clippers performed a similar task in order to capitalize on the loss of Chris Paul. The New York Times article points to Wesley Matthews as the key piece on Dallas’ end.

"“. If Jordan decides to opt in, Dallas can trade for him before free agency begins Sunday at 12:01 a.m., with the veteran swingman Wes Matthews and his $18.7 million contract likely to be the centerpiece of any offer.If Jordan decides to pass on the option, Dallas would be forced to try to sign him in free agency. Other potential frontcourt targets for the Mavericks in that scenario include the All-Star big man DeMarcus Cousins of the New Orleans Pelicans and the restricted free agent Clint Capela of the Houston Rockets”"

What if it is a trade?

The trade aspect of the potential DeAndre Jordan to Dallas marriage is heating up. It seems more, and more likely by the hour that a trade is coming and will happen before Sunday–When NBA free agency officially opens.

This is where the OKC Thunder could come into play.

Any trade between the two would center around Dallas Mavericks wing Wesley Matthews, and Clippers big DeAndre Jordan. However, who is to say a third team isn’t involved?

Potential trades were thrown out by Isaac Harris on the Locked on Mavs podcast during Thursday’s show. Isaac Harris use to be affiliated with the Smoking Cuban, and now works for Mavs dot com as an official media member on the organizations official web site. These potential trades have a bit more of a foundation than just say, some random fan on twitter.

The Trade that could involve the OKC Thunder:

The Dallas Mavericks get: DeAndre Jordan.

The OKC Thunder get: Wesley Matthews.

The LA Clippers get: Carmelo Anthony, and Terrance Ferguson.

Is this a good trade, or a bad trade for the OKC Thunder and the other two teams?

For the Thunder:

Wesley Matthews has just one year left on his deal (2018-19) much like Carmelo Anthony. However, Matthews’ price tag is $18.6-million compared to Anthony’s $27.9-Million. While both contracts roll off the books at the end of the 2018-19 campaign, Matthews’ contract gives Sam Presti more flexibility to add a mid-level free agent this offseason. If Paul George returns, that ability to improve the roster due to shredding Melo’s contract is huge.

Giving up Terrance Ferguson would sting, the newly turned 20-year old seems to have a ton of upside. He can leap out of the gym, and really improved from 3-point land as his rookie season progressed.

However, that is the sacrificial lamb for Sam Presti to cleanse himself of his Carmelo Anthony sin.

For Wesley Matthews, he fits in OKC perfectly. While he is 31-years old, it would only be a one year rental. In that time Matthews would provide great defense, with the ability to stroke the trey. Matthews is the perfect 3-and-D guy, and comes without the baggage and attitude that Carmelo brings.

For the Clippers:

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Yes, they take on a big contract in Carmelo Anthony, but to deal DeAndre Jordan they will have to do that anyway. Carmelo Anthony on a mediocre at best team, is not so bad. Carmelo Anthony will be happy to be back in a big city, and on a team in which he is the lone star.

More importantly, the Clippers get Terrance Ferguson. While LAC has a plethora of guards, they are in no position to pass up talent and upside. Ferguson is truly the best that they could get back. Would taking on Wesley Matthews and Dwight Powell be better than Melo and Terrance Ferguson? I don’t think so.

For the Mavericks:

Clearly, they get DeAndre Jordan. They also get to dump the big contract of Wesley Matthews without parting with any other assets like a Dwight Powell. For the Mavericks they come out scott free. They get the big man they want, for just parting with a big contract. It leaves them with room to still be players in the NBA Free Agency game this summer and next.

Again, this trade is just a rumor. It is not a report. But, It is something that is not out of the realm of possibility–Especially with Sam Presti at the helm.