The Los Angeles Lakers are not the team in their city who will remember DeAndre Jordan most fondly for his contributions to the franchise. However, by the time the former All-Star had transitioned to the portion of his career in which he was a role player, Jordan did spend time with the Lakers.
The former foundational piece of Lob City has traveled around a fair bit after his time as a key member of the Los Angeles Clippers. Apart from the Lakers, Jordan also played with the Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Denver Nuggets.
For a while, with the new season having started, and the veteran center unsigned, it looked like his playing days in the NBA may have quietly come to an end. That was until Friday, when one more team decided to give him another shot to continue his time in the world's top basketball league.
Shams Charania reported, "Free agent center DeAndre Jordan is signing a one-year, $3.6 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management tells ESPN. The one-time All-NBA big man and 2023 champion enters his 18th season in the league."
DeAndre Jordan hoping his experience still holds value in a young locker room
The on-court contributions that should be expected of the 17-year veteran at this point of his career should not be high. Any time a coach is asking for Jordan to step on the court should be a 'break glass if needed' scenario for their team.
The former Nuggets center averaged 3.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks, shooting 65.0 percent from the field, in 12.3 minutes per game in 2024-25. Age has mostly caught up to him.
That does not mean his presence is not valuable in other capacities. After spending so much time in the NBA, Jordan has plenty to offer as a veteran leader for the young players in the league. It just so happens that the Pelicans have plenty of those.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 21, 2025
New Orleans had one of the youngest rosters in the NBA heading into 2025-26 season before bringing in Jordan. They are not quite at the top of that list, the Brooklyn Nets hold that designation, but they are hovering much closer to that category than the polar opposite.
Jordan is a known commodity at this point of his career. A veteran that can still play just enough to get on the court if necessary, and someone who can help guide the next generation. That still held enough value to extend his career in the NBA for one more season.