Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles Lakers have had one heck of a summer.
After suffering a crushing loss in Round 1 of the 2021 playoffs, they went out and made a bunch of moves, bringing in Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Kent Bazemore, and others.
But their most recent acquisition, 1x All-Star DeAndre Jordan, has been hailed as one of their best so far. As a traditional-style big man who cleans the glass and hovers around the rim, he was exactly the type of guy the Lakers needed last season, as they struggled to control the paint against bigger and stronger opponents.
On paper, Jordan seems like the perfect fit.
But, according to Chris Broussard, he won’t really make that much of a difference at all.
“I’ll feel no differently about the Lakers once they sign DeAndre Jordan than I felt a week ago. It’s an inconsequential move. Here’s how much DeAndre Jordan has left: the Brooklyn Nets, who could use size, who could use rim protection — and DeAndre Jordan is very tight with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving — let him go.
So to expect him to do anything for the Lakers… like he said, he might give you a moment or two. DeAndre, it’s fine. But he doesn’t really change much,” Broussard said on First Things First.
"I'll feel no differently about the Lakers once they sign DeAndre Jordan than I felt a week ago. … He might give you a moment or two. DeAndre, it's fine. But he doesn't really change much." — @Chris_Broussard pic.twitter.com/1BfGgxvBUi
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) September 6, 2021
DeAndre Jordan was once considered one of the best big men in the league. During his best season as a Clipper, he averaged 12.7 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game on 71% shooting.
Nowadays, Jordan isn’t nearly as productive.
For the past few seasons, he’s been a rather forgettable rotational piece in Brooklyn, averaging roughly 22 minutes a night.
Obviously, he still brings a lot to the table, and his size alone should help L.A. during certain matchups throughout the season.
The fact is, Jordan just isn’t what he used to be and in today’s NBA especially, his value just isn’t as high.
Considering where other important Lakers are in their careers, it makes you wonder if this team is really as great as they appear on paper.
Nevertheless, we’ll find out soon enough.
