After two years without an agent, LA Clippers All-Star center DeAndre Jordan has hired new representation with trade discussions and free agency on his immediate horizon, league sources told ESPN.
Jordan, 29, has signed with Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management, sources said, who will help navigate the processes expected to determine Jordan's future with the Clippers.
The franchise's devastating batch of injuries and an 8-14 start to the season has inspired rival teams to start reaching out to the Clippers front office on the availability of Jordan, league sources told ESPN.
The hiring of an agent can be a facilitator for teams wondering whether Jordan would have interest in signing with them long term should they trade significant assets to the Clippers to acquire him.
The Clippers offered Jordan a contract extension over the summer and haven't ruled out continuing to work on re-signing him, league sources said.
Nevertheless, Jordan is currently the organization's most valuable healthy trade asset and the Clippers are reaching a team-building crossroads that requires them to engage with inquiring teams to learn what is exactly Jordan's value on the trade market.
After initially committing to the Dallas Mavericks, Jordan changed course and signed a four-year, $87 million deal to stay with the Clippers in 2015. He is expected to opt out of the fourth year of the deal, worth $24 million in 2018-19, to become a free agent this summer.
The Clippers lost guard Patrick Beverley for the season, and have been without three more opening starters -- Blake Griffin, Danilo Gallinari, and Milos Teodosic -- for significant stretches.