The Philadelphia 76ers are expected to sign former Lakers and Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, barring any waiver claim. The Sixers have been in the market for a backup big man ever since the James Harden trade sent Andre Drummond to Brooklyn.
Coming after the Los Angeles Lakers released him because of career lows in minutes per game and points per game, the one-time All-Star center and the Philadelphia 76ers are hoping for a late-season rejuvenation with a change of scenery. To this point in the season, Jordan is averaging 5.4 rebounds per game, 4.1 points per game, and 0.8 blocks per game in just around 13 minutes per game.
The hope for both sides, being DeAndre and the 76ers, would be a late resurgence for Jordan. He would come into a new team with a superstar at the position in Joel Embiid and a lot of depth. Albeit unproven or undersized depth but depth all the same. Players like Charles Bassey and both Paul Millsap and Reed have proven or shown flashes of what they can do at the position, which would allow DeAndre to come into his role more gradually.
It also cannot be ignored or said enough how helpful his relationship with Sixers head coach Doc Rivers is. Rivers coached Jordan from 2013 to 2018 on the Los Angeles Clippers, where Rivers deployed DeAndre and fellow ex-Net Blake Griffin as a formidable high, flying frontcourt duo. While DeAndre’s high-flying days are now mostly over, the hope is that Doc will still be able to deploy the big man in an impactful way.
DeAndre Jordan is no longer the offensive lob threat he once was, nor is he the interior shot blocking deterrent that he was, but he is still a solid veteran with nearly 60 playoff game appearances (57) and over 950 NBA regular-season games played (964). He should be a very good mentor for the Sixers’ young guys (Reed and Bassey) while still being a decent small-minute contributor for a team with championship aspiration.
