The complicated drama between the Houston Rockets and Los Angels Clippers somehow got more complicated on Tuesday when Stephen A. Smith reported on ESPN that injured Clippers forward DeAndre Jordan wants to be traded to the Rockets.
Fresh off a postgame skirmish that reportedly involved the Los Angeles Police Department, Smith appeared on ESPN’s First Take to talk about the locker room invasion heard around the Association.
The locker room incident between the Clippers and Rockets apparently involved Chris Paul leading Houston players through a secret entrance into the LA locker room to confront Blake Griffin and Austin Rivers after the game. It was likely as hilarious as it sounds, as Clint Capela was also used as a red herring to distract the Clippers during the incident.
But was some of the drama on Monday night related to the looming threat of a DeAndre Jordan trade?
After all the drama last night, Stephen A. Smith claims DeAndre Jordan wants to be traded to Houston… 😳 https://t.co/afTtP2Re1z
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) January 16, 2018
To be fair, this isn’t as much a report as Smith saying “I’m telling you what I heard” in the middle of a debate show. But he’s certainly stood by similar reporting in the past, so he must have some source he believes on this.
Cleveland seems the most likely destination for the currently-injured Jordan, but he also has a long history with the Rockets and the city. He’s from Houston, first and foremost, and then there was that time he was going to sign with another Texas team in the Dallas Mavericks until he was trapped in a house by the Clippers and forced to reconsider.
Chris Paul’s presence on the Rockets would certainly impact his decision to seek a trade there, but it might also color Monday’s incident in a very different, (still hilarious) light.
