Milwaukee Bucks To Visit DeAndre Jordan In Free Agency

DeAndre Jordan signing with the Milwaukee Bucks, that sounds like an interesting idea.

Ask yourself, do you like defense? If you answered yes, how do you feel about the league’s second best defense adding the NBA’s third best shot blocker from last season?

This isn’t just a pipe dream either any more, there’s something concrete that Bucks fans can focus their fantasies around now.

Free agency opens on Wednesday, and according to Broderick Turner of the LA Times, Jordan will be at home in Houston where four potential suitors for his signature will come to visit him:

"When free agency starts at 9:01 p.m. PDT Tuesday, Jordan will be home in Houston.The officials said four teams will visit Jordan at home — the Clippers, Lakers, Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks."

Yes, you read that right, the Bucks will be one of four teams to visit with a marquee free agent, and you know what, they might just have a real chance at getting him too.

Turner mentions that Jordan has some very specific aspirations for his future, and it would seem like the Bucks could help him achieve them sooner than some of the other teams mentioned:

"The officials said Jordan wants to be more involved in the offense and wants to be an All-Star, and he’s not sure whether those things can happen on the Clippers with All-Stars Paul and Blake Griffin."

So, let’s think about this for a minute.

The Clippers can offer Jordan the ultimate security when it comes to his contract, as well as familiar surroundings as the team he has played all seven of his previous NBA seasons with. Rumors of a rift with Chris Paul may lead him to look elsewhere though.

Then you have the Lakers and the draw of the iconic purple and gold. The Lakers are far from ready to be a serious team again, but the selection of D’Angelo Russell last night goes a way towards changing that, and the idea of being a leading face in that historic franchise’s future will inevitably appeal.

Then you’ve got the Dallas Mavericks and the home state appeal of Texas. The chance to play alongside Dirk Nowitzki and Chandler Parsons, but also the opportunity for close to top billing and the chance to earn his own star. That’s not to mention the benefits of the tax system in Texas.

There’s one thing that the three of those teams have in common that works against them though. They’re all in the Western Conference.

Stop and think about it, if Jordan wants to be an All-Star, have the chance to be a more integral piece of what a team does on both ends, and generally develop into one of the NBA’s more successful players, moving to the less competitive East would offer a fast track in that sense.

That’s before we even get into how the Bucks could mesh with Jordan to become a real contender almost instantly.

Jordan had an astonishing league high field goal percentage of 71 percent last season, and with Milwaukee’s system based on unselfish play, smart decisions and ball movement, he would get no shortage of good looks inside.

Jordan would immediately become the marquee center in the conference too, and would face favorable matchups on a nightly basis. That may not sound like a big deal, but it’s more appealing than the prospect of facing players like Dwight Howard, Marc Gasol, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins on multiple occasions throughout the year.

In our pre-draft podcast yesterday, I spoke about the need for the Bucks to at least chase the stars of this year’s free agent class this summer. Even if they strike out, in a summer where they’ve been naturally left with significant cap space, there’s no real risk.

Acquiring stars in free agency in the NBA is a dicey business, particularly for teams who are considered to be in the NBA’s smaller markets, but if you don’t show a willingness to go out and court players, stroke their egos, and offer big money, there’s no chance of landing a franchise changing player as a free agent.

The leg work that the Bucks put in with Jordan may not necessarily pay off this summer, but it could help create an awareness of Milwaukee as a place worthy of consideration heading into the future.

What’s not to love right now? A roster filled with exceptional young players, an outstanding young coach revered from his playing days, and the chance to be adored by a city that seems to be falling back in love with basketball after a rough few years.

That’s exciting.

Let’s hope DeAndre Jordan thinks so too.

More from Behind the Buck Pass

Home/Bucks News