Resigning DeAndre Jordan is not a bad move. However, the contract Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver gave him makes it a bad move.
When I first heard that Jordan was returning to the Pelicans, I was happy. At this point in his career, Jordan shouldn’t be expected to provide much in on-court production. But Jordan proved to be a great mentor to the team’s younger players.
How much does it cost to acquire veteran leadership like Jordan’s? According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Pelicans signed Jordan to a two-year, $7.9 million contract. That is too much.
At 37 years old, Jordan is past the age for multi-year contracts. He shouldn’t be getting more than a one-year contract. If anything, the second year should be a team option.
DeAndre Jordan’s nearly $4 million per year price tag is just too much
Jordan is at the age and production where his salary should be getting smaller each year, not larger. The veteran big man made just over $3.5 million last season. Now, a year older, Jordan shouldn’t be making more than $3.5 million. In fact, he should have gotten a pay decrease when you consider his age and on-court performance.
If the Pelicans were giving Jordan a one-year deal, it would be more reasonable for him to be receiving a raise. The fact that they gave him two years should have meant they were paying him less annually. But, nope, not the Pelicans.
To make matters worse, Pelicans insider Shamit Dua pointed out that if Dumars and Weaver gave Jordan the veteran’s minimum, the team would have gotten a reimbursement from the league. So, the Pelicans essentially turned down free money.
It’s unfortunate because I really like Jordan and think he has had a positive impact on the Pelicans. But this deal has been widely criticized.
Anything Jordan can provide on the court will be a plus. But fans shouldn’t expect much from Jordan. The only way he should be seeing the court is if there are injuries.
As of right now, Derik Queen, Yves Missi, and Karlo Matkovic are all ahead of Jordan on the depth chart at center. You could make the argument that the Pelicans shouldn’t be wasting a roster spot on Jordan, who could end up taking a spot from a younger player with upside.
Dumars and Weaver have made some highly suspect moves in their brief tenure in charge of the Pelicans’ roster. The most obvious example comes from their trade for Queen, where they gave up their highly coveted 2026 first-round pick.
They have also made smaller, but equally head-scratching blunders, like signing Kevon Looney last offseason to a two-year, $16 million deal. With that deal, they at least had the wherewithal to make the second season a team option.
This Jordan contract is just another questionable move added to the list of questionable moves by the Pelicans’ front office.
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