According to a report by Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Brooklyn Nets and center DeAndre Jordan are working towards a contract buyout.
Jordan signed with the Nets in the same offseason that saw Brooklyn sign scoring savants Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, longtime friends of the Houston native.
The veteran started just six games in the 2019-20 season as the development of then-Nets center Jarrett Allen skyrocketed but, despite Allen’s trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the emergence of Nic Claxton continued to cut into Jordan’s playing opportunity. Jordan then failed to appear in the final 18 games of the Nets 2020-21 season (including the playoffs), with Blake Griffin eventually taking over the starting center role.
Charania reports that while neither side has made a final decision, Jordan’s odds of suiting up in a Nets uniform next season have become increasingly slim.
While last season saw Jordan start 43 of the 57 games in which he appeared and forward-center Jeff Green has moved onto the Denver Nuggets, the re-signing of Griffin and offseason pursuit of free agent Paul Millsap leaves little room for Jordan to impose his presence on the court.
One suitor to keep an eye on, sources said, should DeAndre Jordan and the Brooklyn Nets reach a contract buyout: the Los Angeles Lakers.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) August 30, 2021
Jordan’s name has been most recently linked with the Los Angeles Lakers, after veteran center Andre Drummond signed a one-year minimum deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.
