What a day for NBA free agency. It seemed like a relatively quiet period for the league, as most of the big deals were wrapped up last week. But earlier today, Clippers Center Deandre Jordan threw a wrench in the proceedings, starting what will possibly go down as one of the most talked about free agency sagas ever.
It was reported last week that Jordan was all set to leave the Clippers for their Western Conference rivals, the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks offered Jordan a maximum 4 year $80 million contract and promised him a featured role in their offense, something the Clippers were reluctant to do. All that was left was for Jordan to sign his new contract once the moratorium period on free agents was lifted at midnight.
The hysterics began earlier yesterday, when ESPN's Marc Stein broke the news that Jordan was having second thoughts about jumping ship to the Mavs. Jordan allegedly phoned his soon to be former coach Doc Rivers, voicing his reluctance at the move.
This prompted Rivers to rally Jordan's teammates such as Blake Griffin, JJ Redick, as well Clippers owner Steve Ballmer in a last ditch attempt to persuade him to return to the Clippers. The team's star Point Guard Chris Paul, who Jordan was reportedly not on the best of terms with, cut his Carribean vacation short to be a part of the proceedings, which took place at Jordan's Houston home.
What ensued is perhaps the craziest event in NBA social media history, with cryptic emojis being shared and rumours flying left and right.
To cut a long story short, Jordan did eventually resign with the Clippers. Rivers and his teammates were so worried he might change his might that they stayed in his house until Jordan put pen to paper and signed his new deal. How's that for a free agency story?
