Doc Rivers: Jordan chose “substance and character”

You can view this as more fuel on the fire for Nov. 11.

Or, a continuing playground spat between kindergarteners.

The reality is it’s a little of both.

In case you forgot, Nov. 11 is when DeAndre Jordan and the Los Angeles Clippers stop in Dallas to face the Mavericks. You know what happened this summer, Jordan said he was going to Dallas then, days later, had second thoughts and right before the deadline and decided to stay with the Clippers. That has led to verbal slings and arrows being shot between the two franchises all summer. Chandler Parsons says Jordan wasn’t ready to be a franchise player. Cuban wanted nothing to do with Jordan’s twitter apology. Doc Rivers said he thought Cuban should have handled things more maturely, and on Wednesday Cuban said Rivers’ “professional life was over if he didn’t get DJ.”

Speaking to Dan Woikie of the Orange County Register, Rivers fired back at Cuban.

“I’ll say this. I’m so grateful to work for a team owned by Steve Ballmer, someone who stands for character and substance and who is so loyal,” Rivers said. “He is someone who I know will stand with me, even when things aren’t always going our way. I think what happened with D.J. was he decided to choose substance and character over smoke and mirrors.”

So I guess we’re not moving on from this spat yet, even though every principle involved says they have moved on. It’s like dealing with my elementary school age daughters.

I will add this.

Ballmer the owner still is going through a tough learning curve, and everything isn’t puppies and rainbows in Clippers camp. Cuban may be a shoot-from-the-hip owner, but he is one of the best in the NBA — when Cuban took over the Mavericks they made Donald Sterling’s Clippers look big spending and well run. Cuban spent money and turned the Mavericks around into a first-class organization and one of the stronger franchises in the NBA. It’s a place players want to go, and they won a title. You don’t have to like Cuban’s style, but he’s been good for the Mavericks. And I would argue very good for the league.

I’d like to think this will be the last of the fight, but my guess is it continues until Nov. 11.