First, you'd have to forgive DeAndre Jordan. Or, more specifically -- because if he somehow ends up in a Dallas Mavericks uniform, you, as an MFFL would surely grow to acceptance -- first, Mavs management would have to forgive him.

Forgive him from his virtually unprecedented 2015 betrayal of the Mavs. Forgive him for shattering the NBA's established status of free-agent agreements. Forgive him for meekly allowing himself to hide behind a barricaded door while opting to remain with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Consider it done. The Mavs have, a source tells me, decided to let bygones bygones. And why? Well, they do need a center. ...

Part of the forgiveness is simply a matter of time healing wounds. In recent days, we've already seen one of the grandest "hug it outs'' in franchise history as Mavs owner Mark Cuban participated in a make-up session with agent Bill Duffy, an organizational nemesis for a decade-and-a-half, the result of Duffy guiding Steve Nash away from the Mavs and to the Suns.

The fact that this time around, Duffy was, sources tell me, a key participant in the NBA Draft night swap that brought his client Luka Doncic to Dallas via a trade with Atlanta, is a miracle of sorts.

If the Mavs can reunite with Duffy, they can certainly do so with Jordan -- who happens to be repped by agent Jeff Schwartz, who unlike Duffy has always been very Mavs-friendly.

The other part of the forgiveness, though, is a matter of practicality. I don't believe Dallas has specifically pinpointed who the 2018-19 starting center will be, just as I don't believe they have a singular target in their "Nuclear Winter'' trade hope. Rather, these are concepts ... with just a few days now before July 1 to firm them up.

But they need another star. And they need a center. And I would suggest to you that DeAndre Jordan is on the wish list.

In the "Nuclear Winter'' case, we've long used the example of a proposal to Washington in order to offer them cap relief while prying from them a young standout like Bradley Beal. In one iteration of a trade, Dallas could accept Marcin Gortat as the "ballast'' ... and while he is something short of greatly desirable, he is functional and his $13 mil contract is expiring.

Gortat would be a bridge to the future beyond 2018-19. ... and that deal could be enough.

If it's another "Nuclear Winter'' trade that doesn't include a center? Fine. Then maybe a center is sought after elsewhere -- hopefully in addition to another move.

The list of "Who Could That Center Be?'' is a long one. On some of the names, we've already given you specifics: The Mavs interest in DeMarcus Cousins is not what outsiders think it is. The last time I asked the Mavs about Dwight Howard, the actual response was, "Not with a 10-foot pole,'' so I'm not going to ask again. And Houston's Clint Capela? We're still trying to figure out why the Rockets won't simply match-and-retain the restricted standout. Nerlens Noel? How many times do the Mavs want to keep making mistakes on the same guy?

Now, how about some newer names/newer wrinkles? There may be a different perspective on what the Lakers do with DFW native Julius Randle. (Still, as with Boogie, he's not the high priority the national media thinks he is; but what might be his price of LA moves on?) Dallas wants to do better than Derrick Favors. We're working on a project that could bring Nikola Vucevic to Dallas in a trade with Orlando. (Maybe, as with the Beal/Gortat idea, Dallas could kill two birds with one stone here -- oh, and the agency that represents Vucevic is none other than the one run by new besty Duffy!) DBcom has reported on Dallas' thoughts on taking on Hassan Whiteside as long as there's a "reward'' for doing so. Our DBcom Boards guy "DanSchwartzgan'' has pushed for more obscure solutions, like Toronto's Lucas "Bebe'' Nogueira. There is exploration to be done on the likes of Enes Kanter and Jusuf Nurkic and others ...

But what about a rebound toward Jordan as Dallas' starting center?

I've often suggested that DeAndre Jordan would be foolish to opt out of the $24-mil final year of his contract. That's allowed me to muscle up on the idea that Dallas won't sign him as a free agent. (Because he won't be one; get it?)

But my man Skin Wade, in making a bet with me on who would be Dallas' new center pickup (I picked Gortat or Vucavic, Skin picked Jordan), tossed out this thought: What if Jordan opts in, gets his $24 mil, and then gets himself traded to the Mavs?

DeAndre turns 30 in July; this is not some play for the future. But he is still 6-11 and 265. He's still a dominant rebounder. And he can play at the rim, on defense and on offense, too, where new backcourt buddies Doncic and Dennis Smith Jr. could have some fun with him.

What would be the Dallas details in such a transaction? We can only take some cap-friendly educated guesses right now. Wesley Matthews for Jordan straight-up works, but what would be the Clippers' motivation? Would L.A. be interested in Noel and cap room? Yogi Ferrell and cap room? How about Dwight Powell as a piece? Maybe the best solution is the engineering of a three-way that sends Matthews to somewhere he's needed, sends Jordan to Dallas, and gives the Clippers a viable center from a third team.

And the right timing would be helpful, too. Using "June Room'' now, or trade-matching in July, would be superior to using summer space on him, as it hurts Dallas chances of retaining Seth Curry and Doug McDermott. So ... a lot of cogs turning here ...

I do know that earlier this year, a Mavs source expressed to me the view that Jordan would be best-suited as the "fourth-best player'' fulfilling a role on a good team. Well, Dallas isn't there yet. But the youthful foundation suddenly looks more promising now, with Doncic and Junior and Harrison Barnes. Would Jordan "supplement'' that threesome, offering the added benefit of freeing Dirk Nowitzki from playing center?

As it regards the Dallas Mavericks and their center vacancy, they are about to make some hard decisions. But as those regard DeAndre Jordan? There will be no hard feelings.