BDL 25: Is DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul’s relationship built to last?

The NBA offseason has brought many changes to rosters, coaching staffs, and the list of championship contenders. As we draw closer to opening night, it’s time to move our focus from the potential impact of each offseason event and onto the broader issues that figure to define this season. The BDL 25 takes stock of, uh, 25 key storylines to get you up to speed on where the most fascinating teams, players, and people stand on the brink of 2015-16.

The first Friday in July looked like an especially dark time for the Los Angeles Clippers franchise and leader Chris Paul. DeAndre Jordan’s departure to the Dallas Mavericks had left an ostensible title contender without its defensive linchpin and the cap space necessary to replace him, essentially dooming an aging team to run and go small in the hopes of maintaining long-term relevance.

Worse yet, reported animosity between Jordan and Paul appeared to confirm the growing belief that the 30-year-old point guard is too demanding and high-strung to serve as an effective leader in this era. If Paul had alienated the team’s third-most important player, then what hope would the Clippers have of returning to contender status?

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These issues became secondary concerns as soon as Blake Griffin started propping up chairs against the doors in Jordan’s Houston home. When the Clippers visited Jordan and convinced him to stay in L.A. with some kind words and card games, they patched over any disagreements with the fabric of a shared goal and the thread of several years of shared experience. Suddenly, the Clippers had reassembled one of the best teams in the league.

It is easy to be optimistic about the Clippers this season, because they have elite talent, a title-winning coach, and new players like Paul Pierce, Lance Stephenson, and Josh Smith to provide a necessary infusion of depth. Yet it would be prudent not to wipe the impressions of those few days in July from our memory. The negative side of the Clippers’ continuity is that the conditions that allowed Jordan to become dissatisfied haven’t just disappeared because he signed a new four-year deal.

To be fair, the immediate aftermath of a breakup can often lead to exaggeration of both the good and the bad. Whatever made Jordan not enjoy playing with Paul obviously wasn’t enough to keep the Clippers from finishing with the second-most wins in the West and seeing one improbable collapse rob them of the franchise’s first conference finals appearance. For that matter, Paul and Jordan have always had terrific chemistry on the pick-and-roll and in alley-oops, where the former’s generation-best point-guard skills match up with Jordan’s elite catching and finishing ability.

Unfortunately, anyone who has watched the Clippers at length knows that CP3 can get angry with his teammates in the heat of competition. Jordan has often been on the wrong end of those exchanges, and reports that he had tired of serving that role didn’t come as a huge surprise during the Mavericks’ courtship. At the same time, Paul apparently was shocked to learn that Jordan was unhappy with his treatment and expressed a desire to make things better as the Clippers convinced the center to return.

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That newfound openness could lead to greater team chemistry and more effective conflict resolution whenever issues do arise. Because, as anyone who has ever worked in a high-pressure team-intensive situation knows, conflict will arise. The Clippers will face challenges and perhaps a bit of infighting — these events are common and often healthy for professional basketball teams. But Jordan’s decision to renege on his agreement with Dallas and return to the Clippers could change the tenor of any disagreement between him, Paul, and anyone else in the organization. His return carried a promise (whether explicit or implicit) from the team that this time would be different. Jordan had all the leverage in the situation and would not have returned otherwise.

For better or worse, Jordan’s relationship with his teammates, coaches, and bosses will now be very different. Paul only stands at the most obvious flashpoint. It’s up to him and everyone else to ensure that Jordan does not regret his decision somewhere down the line.

Previously, on BDL 25:

Kevin Durant is back to score at will and dominate headlines

What the heck will the Dallas Mavericks even look like?

Paul George tries to reclaim stardom and Indiana’s contender status

Will DeMarcus Cousins and the Kings even make it to January?

Can the Golden State Warriors be that perfect again?

Are the Cleveland Cavaliers going to price themselves into oblivion?

The Grizzlies know exactly who they are, and that might be enough

Kevin Garnett’s last run

Are the Knicks building something or just biding time before a blow-up?

Paul Pierce, journeyman

Russell Westbrook searches for an encore to an overwhelming season