Report: Paul's 'Barking, Petty Gestures' Drove Jordan To Leave For Dallas
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Turns out the Clippers may have had more than a little drama between two members of their Big Three.
Center DeAndre Jordan - who is now headed for the Dallas Mavericks - and guard Chris Paul reportedly had something of a falling out on the court, which may have fueled Jordan's desire to leave L.A., according to a ESPN report.
Jordan had reportedly grown weary of "Paul's constant barking and petty gestures" during last season and was increasingly frustrated with his limited role on the Clippers' offense, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.
One example of the apparent animosity underlying the pair's relationship: on at least one occasion following a timeout, Paul would give high-fives to his other teammates while avoiding any interaction with Jordan, Stein reported.
After anchoring the team's defense and playing a central role in "Lob City" for three seasons, Jordan's decision to sign a four-year, $80 million offer from the Mavericks is expected to leave a gaping hole in the Clippers roster - and their postseason ambitions.
According to Stein, Jordan sought to have a bigger role in the team's offensive plans after finishing first in the league in field goal percentage (.710) and rebounds per game (15.0) during the 2014-15 season.
But despite reported pledges from management to do so and the high-profile addition of veteran Paul Pierce to the roster, Jordan was ultimately lured away by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's vision of the 7-footer as the team's "franchise player for the rest of his career," according to Stein.
