DeAndre Jordan explains leaving Lakers, saw opportunity with Sixers

CAMDEN, N.J.–The Philadelphia 76ers returned home on Monday following a tough loss to the Miami Heat on the road on Saturday and they were able to get some time in with new big man addition, DeAndre Jordan.

The 14-year veteran from Texas A&M did join the team down in Miami on Saturday, but he didn’t play as the Sixers still want to give him more time to get acclimated with his new teammates.

As the Sixers convened for shootaround on Monday morning, Jordan explained why he left the Los Angeles Lakers as well as expressed his excitement by playing for the Sixers and the new opportunity he has in front of him.

Leaving the Lakers

Jordan signed a deal with the Lakers in the 2021 offseason where he was expected to give the team some size moving forward. He ended up only playing in 32 games for Los Angeles, with 19 starts, and he averaged 4.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game.

“I enjoyed my time there, for sure,” said Jordan. “Obviously, this is an opportunity where I’m familiar with Doc (Rivers) so this is a chance to come here and play a little more and have a chance to go further in the postseason.”

Obviously, the Sixers are having much more success than the Lakers. Led by Joel Embiid and James Harden, they are expected to contend for a championship and Jordan wants to be a part of that.

“I do think those guys (the Lakers) are going to have some success late,” Jordan added. “But this was just the best opportunity, I feel like for me.”

Philadelphia also obviously needed a backup big man after sending Andre Drummond to the Brooklyn Nets to acquire Harden. The Sixers had to do something and Jordan saw the opportunity.

“There were other situations,” Jordan added. “I’m familiar with Doc, I’ve been with him for years, James, Tobias (Harris), Joel, and I are cool, so obviously, with Andre leaving, they needed another backup center so it was mutual.”

Playing with Harden again

While Jordan is the backup big man to Embiid, there will be lineups where he will play with Harden. The two of them have familiarity from their time with the Nets in the 2020-21 season and now, he will look to come in and reunite with The Beard.

“For a big or anybody trying to get easy baskets, he’s the best guy to play with,” said Jordan. “He’s so unselfish when it comes to passing and getting guys open, getting the other guys going, because he can get hisself going at any point in time. So, for me, I’m obviously on a different team, my job doesn’t change at all. That’s great for me and I’ve also obviously played with Tobias as well.”

Jordan played with Harris as well in the 2017-18 season with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Playing for Rivers again

Jordan played for Rivers for five seasons with the Clippers so he understands what he likes to run and the two of them have a good relationship.

“It’s great,” Jordan said. “I love Doc, man. He’s the best coach I’ve ever had. He’s more than a coach to me so it’s great to be able to reunite with him and a couple of other guys on this team, obviously, but Doc and I have a relationship that’s great and I know he’s gonna put us all in positions to be successful.”

The familiarity between coach and player will be a very helpful thing for Jordan as he moves forward with the Sixers.

“When a new player comes to a team, it’s always everybody trying to get them to feel acclimated,” he continued. “But with Doc, he’s gonna curse me out like I’ve been here all season so it’s great.”

It also helps that Rivers has helped build a culture in Philadelphia that has made Jordan feel welcomed.

“It’s been fine,” Jordan added. “It’s obviously been an adjustment moving from West to East, but everybody here is making it pretty easy for me. I met the guys in Miami, obviously, and was there, went over some plays, got some workouts in, and try to get acclimated as best as possible and learn different plays, coverages, so it was good to kinda see the guys live in action the other day.”

Playing with Embiid

Jordan and Embiid have had their battles in the past, but now they will be on the same side and the veteran big man is excited about playing with him and helping him.

“He’s a 7-foot-2, slender guy, but nah, he’s an animal out there,” Jordan stated. “I know for me, being able to guard him these past few years has been a challenge, always. He’s worked a lot on his body, I feel like, and you’ve seen throughout this year, he’s stayed healthy (he knocked on wood) for the most part.”

Jordan also understands that if the Sixers want to get to where they want to go, they will need the big fella to continue to play at a high level.

“In order for us to be the last team standing at the end of the year on the floor, we’re gonna need continuous big games out of him for the rest of the year,” he added. “Along with James, Tobias, and everybody else.”

Understanding his role

As he mentioned, Jordan’s role doesn’t change much. He just goes out there, blocks shots, grabs rebounds, and provides a presence in the pick-and-roll game, but he also wants to help the second unit.

Jordan: “Just bring energy. Our second unit, I feel like, plays fast and we got some shooters on the floor and I was just going back and watching clips of their second unit before they made trades, even with James, so just setting picks for those guys and being able to space the floor and James being able to create and playmake for himself and everybody else. As long as I’m setting screens, rolling hard, rebounding the basketball, and providing some defensive intensity on the floor, our unit should be OK.”

Update on his body

Jordan has not played much, obviously, in the 2021-22 season, but he did give an update on his body and added that he’s ready for what the Sixers have planned for him.

Jordan: “I feel good. I’m only 33. In the real world, that’s not very old at all. I’ve just been in the league for a while. I feel great, my body feels good. I was able to ramp up even more during my last couple weeks in LA, but I feel great.”

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