Can we officially call the near departure of DeAndre Jordan ‘high-five gate’? It was reported that Jordan and his point guard, Chris Paul, were at odds with each other and that might have led the big man to want to explore other options other than the Los Angeles Clippers. In fact, Jordan gave a verbal commitment to the Dallas Mavericks. Until things changed for the Clippers.
It was Paul’s petty gestures, like his lack of high-fives to Jordan, that might have led to DeAndre to want to leave the Clippers. It’s been rumored for a while that the two players were at odds but it was refuted by head coach Doc Rivers along with Clippers teammate Dahntay Jones. Jordan said he wanted ‘to be the man’ and he felt less of a player with the Clippers, so he decided to leave.
It was a desperation move that led to the Clippers going back to Jordan. When the team went to meet with their center at his home in Houston today, it appears that the meeting between the two players got a little real for the All-Star point guard.
Following from ESPN’s Chris Broussard.
Sources: CP3 emotional @ meeting, told DJ he had no idea he felt negatively about him & he thought they were "brothers.''
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) July 9, 2015
Sources: CP3 said he'd get DJ more involved in the offense & that LAC couldn't move forward w/out him.
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) July 9, 2015
Paul laying it all out on the table for Jordan might have helped DeAndre see that Paul is not really like that. That he wants to get the best out of his teammates. CP3 has a reputation of being hard on his teammates but for no reason besides wanting the best from them. Paul is notorious for getting after his teammates and he wasn’t shy about it from time to time.
With Jordan, the situation was different. The team needs him to contend for anything, especially in the Western Conference. It’s amazing how much Jordan changed the fortunes of two teams more than once over the last week. The Clippers are title contenders again and the Mavericks are back to searching for something new in the middle of the Western Conference.
