DeAndre Jordan ‘shocked’ by Kenny Atkinson firing

DeAndre Jordan is pushing back against reports that said some of the Brooklyn Nets’ players were responsible for Kenny Atkinson’s firing.

Atkinson mutually parted ways with the Nets on Saturday, which came towards the end of his fourth season as the team’s head coach. One report said some Nets players wanted him fired, while another said Kyrie Irving soured on Atkinson.

Jordan, who along with Irving and Kevin Durant signed with Brooklyn over the summer, called the report about Irving pushing out Atkinson “bulls—.” Jordan said there were multiple new players on the team and thought they all should be blamed if that was the case rather than Irving be singled out.

The veteran center also said he was “shocked” over the firing.

“I was definitely shocked,” Jordan told the New York Post. “I thought Kenny did a great job with us. This is my first year with him obviously and the guys who had been here love him, so I’m sure it’s tough for them. But at the end of the day, this is a business. Coaches get fired, players get cut, traded, whatever it is. So we still have a job to do.”

Common sense tells you the new players are the reason for Atkinson’s firing. The team was doing well and improving each year with him as their head coach before the new players joined. Then after the new players were signed, Atkinson started losing influence. Do you really think the Nets would get rid of Atkinson over complaints from Jordan, Garrett Temple or Wilson Chandler? No, they’d tell those guys to get in line. However, if Irving or Durant didn’t care for Atkinson’s methods, that would likely inspire such a change.

DeAndre Jordan explains dramatic improvement from free throw line

DeAndre Jordan becoming a respectable free throw shooter was one of the greater plot twists of last NBA season, and now Jordan is opening up about his improvement.

Appearing this week on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take,” the new Brooklyn Nets center discussed his drastic progress from the charity stripe in 2018-19.

“For me, Hack-a-Shaq sucked a lot,” said Jordan, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “It sucked big time. I used to go hide [from opponents looking to foul]. [I thought] I don’t like this. But after years of that, I got a little better at it this past season and I’m shooting the ball a little bit better.

“I hit a lot of them in practice,” he went on. “I think it’s the 20,000 people [that affected me]. This season I actually didn’t think about anything other than shooting the basketball and it helped me out a lot.”

Jordan, a career 44.6 percent shooter from the line entering last season, skyrocketed to 68.2 percent with the Dallas Mavericks and a glowing 77.3 percent with the New York Knicks following a midseason trade.

The going got so good for the former All-NBA First Teamer Jordan that he once became a designated free-throw shooter. While he may not be that for the Nets next season, adding such a dimension to his game will allow him to stay on the floor and play unbridled as he chases his first NBA title with them.

DeAndre Jordan willing to come off bench for Nets?

The Brooklyn Nets will have an interesting two-man battle at the center position next season, but one of them may be willing to give way if necessary.

Addressing reporters Tuesday, Nets coach Kenny Atkinson would not commit to a starter between Jarrett Allen and the newly-acquired DeAndre Jordan but revealed that Jordan said he was willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

Kenny Atkinson wouldn't commit to a starter in the Jarrett Allen-DeAndre Jordan center battle. But he said after speaking with Jordan – who hasn't come off the bench in a game since 2011 – the vet told him he'll do whatever is needed for #Nets to win.

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) July 9, 2019

The two big men have similar games but Allen is ten years younger (21 to Jordan’s soon-to-be 31) and already started 80 games for the Nets last year.

Jordan was central to helping Brooklyn land their new superteam of sorts with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but as he nears his 12th NBA season, it sounds like he is happy to take on a more complementary role if need be.

Kevin Durant, DeAndre Jordan will join Kyrie Irving on Nets

The Brooklyn Nets have pulled off the signings of the summer.

Free agent forward Kevin Durant announced on Instagram that he will join the Nets in free agency.

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A post shared by The Boardroom (@theboardroom) on Jun 30, 2019 at 3:02pm PDT

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski added that DeAndre Jordan will be joining Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn is making a clean sweep tonight: Brooklyn will sign Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan, league sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2019

Durant will almost certainly miss all of next season, but the move will still lead to a huge power shift in the NBA. The Nets are already adding Kyrie Irving to the mix, and pairing him with Durant will make them an instant title contender once they’re able to play together.

Durant is set to receive a four-year, $164 million deal from Brooklyn, while Irving will get $141 million.

Nets believe they are getting Kevin Durant, DeAndre Jordan

The Brooklyn Nets are confident they are about to have a huge offseason.

It has been widely reported that Kyrie Irving already has a handshake agreement in place and will sign with the Nets as soon as free agency begins on Sunday. According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, they have no intention of stopping there. The Nets are confident they are going to sign Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan in addition to Irving.

An undeniable vibe of confidence is emanating from Brooklyn as we speak: The Nets sure seem to believe they are getting Kevin Durant's commitment tonight to go with Kyrie Irving"s … with DeAndre Jordan, Durant's close friend, to follow

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 30, 2019

Durant is not going to leave fans hanging, as he is planning to announce his decision via his own sports business TV show on instagram Sunday night. The Golden State Warriors are reportedly planning to offer him a five-year, supermax contract worth $221 million, but there has been increasing talk that Durant will turn the massive deal down.

Many believe Durant’s decision will come down to returning to the Warriors or signing with the New York Knicks. Durant has also reportedly discussed playing with another top free agent on the market, though that seems somewhat unlikely.

DeAndre Jordan reportedly interested in return to LA

DeAndre Jordan may not be able to stay out of the City of Angels for long.

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst reported Friday that the free agent big man is interested in playing in Los Angeles again. They also add that Jordan would possibly be a fit on the Lakers, who are expected to pursue him.

The former All-NBA First Teamer Jordan, who turns 31 this summer, played the first nine seasons of his career with the LA Clippers before leaving in free agency last July to sign with the Dallas Mavericks on a one-year deal. He was then dealt to the New York Knicks as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade.

Jordan still offers elite skills on the boards and in the paint, but the concern is that his value, which is tied heavily to his athleticism, may soon depreciate as he ages. That said, the Clippers are also eyeing a reunion elsewhere, so the Lakers may be the better match for Jordan right now.

Report: DeAndre Jordan could become part of Nets’ plan to lure Kevin Durant

The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly among the teams that want to sign Kevin Durant to a max contract this summer, and they appear to have a plan in place to help convince him to choose them.

Durant is close friends with DeAndre Jordan, who is also set to become a free agent next month. According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Nets are looking into the possibility of signing Jordan to help lure Durant to Brooklyn.

The Nets are exploring the feasibility of signing Kevin Durant's close friend DeAndre Jordan in free agency, league sources say, in hopes that would make the prospect of teaming up in Brooklyn with Kyrie Irving even more enticing to Durant

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 24, 2019

Stein notes that the New York Knicks, who also want to sign Durant, may have a similar plan.

The Knicks, of course, hung onto DeAndre Jordan after acquiring him from Dallas in the Porzingis blockbuster in February and have shown interest in re-signing Jordan depending on how the roster shakes out — interest that naturally rises if Durant chooses Madison Square Garden

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 24, 2019

The Nets are believed to be the frontrunner to sign Kyrie Irving, and a separate report on Monday claimed Irving and Durant have spoken multiple times recently about the possibility of teaming up together. If the Nets sign both Irving and Jordan, you can see how that might help them make a strong pitch to Durant.

While at least two teams have reportedly backed off of their pursuit of Durant because of his Achilles injury, the Nets and others do not seem the least bit deterred.