NBA Rumors: Detroit Just A Diversion, DeAndre Jordan To Join Lakers After Buyout – Report

The Brooklyn Nets finally found an NBA trade partner in the Detroit Pistons for veteran center DeAndre Jordan. However, it appears this will just be a temporary stop, with the All-Star center reportedly intending to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.

This news comes from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who cited unnamed sources as saying that Jordan will head to Los Angeles upon formal completion of a buyout with the Detroit Pistons.

The Nets will send Jordan to the Pistons, along with their own 2022 and 2027 second-round picks, a 2024 second-round pick via the Washington Wizards, and a 2025 second-rounder via the Golden State Warriors, Wojnarowski said in another report, citing unnamed sources.

In return, Brooklyn received Jahlil Okafor and forward Sekou Doumbouya Friday. The Nets will save around $47 million in salary and taxes following the trade.

Detroit is reportedly planning to buy out the remaining two years of Jordan’s contract, worth roughly $19.7 million.

Jordan will give back $4 million in the buyout of his contract, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported.

It formally ends the tenure of the 6-foot-11 center, who reportedly discussed a buyout with Nets management. Rather than agree to that, Brooklyn looked for a potential trade partner — which turned out to be the Pistons.

Jordan signed a four-year, $40 million deal with the Nets in 2019 — around the same time Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving also signed their deals.

Once the planned buyout with the Pistons is sealed, the Lakers can get their hands on Jordan and add him to a stacked roster, though he would have to first clear waivers to become a free agent.

As mentioned in a previous post, the 33-year-old has been linked to the purple and gold in recent weeks. But the only way that the Lakers would be able to get Jordan was if a buyout happened. The reason for this is that Los Angeles is not financially flexible, with most of its resources tied to top stars LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.

Jordan’s impending addition is expected to draw criticism once more as Los Angeles continues to fill up its roster with players of ripe ages.

The All-Star center’s performance has notably taken a dip, but pundits feel that all that may change if he is placed in a new system.

Once official, Jordan would be the latest big man in the mix. The others are Davis, Dwight Howard and Marc Gasol.