How can you say no (or yes) without knowing what was offered? There are several bad contracts we can package to make a deal work.
Jordan could also be a HUGE trading chip going forward. Because he has a player option for next season, he could be one of two things:
1) A HUGE expiring contract
2) A potential re-sign and trade candidate
Think about it...
We can't sign big name free agents, even when we have the cap space to do so. We don't have the cap space to do so. With a $24 million salary, Jordan is the kind of piece you need for matching salaries in a blockbuster trade for a disgruntled superstar. If the team wants to rebuild, Jordan becomes a $24 million expiring contract.
If the team wants to compete, you can lock Jordan in for them, so he isn't just a 1-year rental, buy re-signing him as part of a sign and trade package - something like $24 million his first year, with a declining salary each year after that. That gets Jordan his big payday next year, but also the stability of a longer contract going forward. It lets the team lock him in for more than one year, but his salary would be declining in lock step with his declining performance. At 29, he still has a few good years left. Maybe not all star level performance, but he should remain an effective defender and rebounder for several more years.
Think outside the box. Don't just consider the player's value on the court, think about how else acquiring him could benefit us (getting rid of some of our bad contracts, future trade piece, etc.).
BNM