DeAndre Jordan appears to be one step closer to joining the team that many are expecting him to end up with.
The Brooklyn Nets dealt the former All-NBA center and four future second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons on Friday in exchange for big man Jahlil Okafor and forward Sekou Doumbouya, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The report also says that the Pistons plan to work through a buyout on the two years and $20 million Jordan has remaining on his contract, which would make him a free agent. In that scenario, Wojnarowski adds, the Los Angeles Lakers will be a serious contender.
The 33-year-old Jordan has already been linked to the Lakers this summer. He is three years younger than incumbent center Marc Gasol but has not been productive in recent years. Jordan averaged 7.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game for the Nets last season. He also did not make a single appearance in the playoffs. As his athleticism has waned with age, Jordan has become a much less effective player.
While there is some uncertainty regarding Gasol’s future, adding another post-prime former All-Star in Jordan will only lead to more jokes about the advanced age of the Lakers roster heading into next season.
