Boston Celtics

Why DeAndre Jordan's decision to sign with Dallas is bad news for Boston

Published Jul. 5, 2015 12:16 p.m. ET

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DeAndre Jordan recently agreed to a four-year, $80 million max contract with the Dallas Mavericks. It was a humongous haul for Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson, and a crippling development for Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers.

But the Boston Celtics probably also wish Jordan stayed in L.A. MassLive's Tom Westerholm has more on why:

"The Celtics own the rights to the Mavericks' first-round pick this upcoming season, top-seven protected. For draft purposes, Boston wants Dallas to be good, but not too good...Boston could benefit from (yet another) draft pick in the 11-16 range next summer, since Dallas isn't going to be a top Western Conference team, but it will be notably better than any of the worst teams in either conference."

It's possible Dallas doesn't make the postseason next year, but with the Portland Trail Blazers bowing out after LaMarcus Aldridge signed with the San Antonio Spurs, it's hard to imagine a scenario where they don't. The Oklahoma City Thunder will make it, and teams like the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Minnesota Timberwolves and even Sacramento Kings can semi-realistically compete for the eight seed.

The Celtics will root for Dallas to lose a lot of games, but not too many.

(h/t: MassLive)

Photo Credit: Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports