http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7319695/the-second-day-nba-christmas
Here's the reality: Perkins signed a four-year extension with Oklahoma City for $32.55 million (and got paid an extra $2 million last year as something of a signing bonus). That means Jordan's next contract should pay him about $32 million over four years in a world that makes sense. But because of the Saab corollary, because too many teams have money to spend, because restricted free-agent offers skew high (so they don't get matched) and because it's the NBA and teams just can't help themselves, get ready for a team to make Jordan a restricted offer around the "four years, $42 million" range.
First of all … yikes.
Second … Kendrick Perkins just threw his iPad through a window at 95 miles an hour.
Third … what do you do if you're the Clips? You can't just let Griffin's best friend leave with the whole "Will Blake stay or go two years from now?" situation looming. You also can't pay Jordan and Chris Kaman a combined $22 million to share your center spot this season. (Not even Mark Cuban in his reckless heyday would have done that.) Here's the move: You match that Jordan offer (or quickly make one yourself) then give Kaman away to a team with a ton of cap space, whether it's Indiana, Sacramento, New Jersey, Toronto, Denver or whomever. Getting Kaman as a one-year, $12.2 million flier and salary-cap stopgap for next year's free-agency extravaganza isn't the worst thing in the world.
Fourth … any Jordan suitor knows the previous paragraph will probably play out that way. Which means … (you better hold on to something so you don't fall over) … well … (I'm telling you, hold on to something to be safe) … if someone really wants Jordan and wants to force the Clippers' hand … (maybe drink a glass of water to prepare for these next few words) … if they really want Jordan, they should offer $50 million for four years.
Fifty million! For DeAndre Jordan!!!! It's not totally far-fetched!
4. DeAndre Jordan
Prediction: Re-signs with Clippers (five years, $46 million)5
Verdict: OVERPAID
I'm think a 4 year, $40 million is the max I would offer for Jordan. I believe his real value is around $7 -$8 million per year, but I'd go up to $10 million.
