The roster that the Los Angeles Lakers are constructing would have been unbeatable last decade.
After a recent trade from the Brooklyn Nets, 13-year veteran DeAndre Jordan agreed to a contract buyout with the Detroit Pistons.
The 33-year-old center now turns his attention west, hoping to sign with the Lakers once he clears waivers.
DeAndre Jordan intends to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers after completing a buyout with the Pistons, sources tell @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/0fLqzjHY7w
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 3, 2021
Lakers Roster Gets Even Older
After many offseason machinations, Los Angeles sported the league’s oldest roster by a significant margin.
Now, the team looks to get even older once the signing of DeAndre Jordan is complete.
According to Real GM, the Lakers’ average age on their 2021-22 roster (30.9) stands a full two years older than the next closest team (Miami Heat, 28.8), and that’s before adding Jordan.
Los Angeles already assembled one of the oldest rosters in recent NBA history.
At this rate, they might surpass the 2015-16 San Antonio Spurs (31.6) for that mark.
If this figure holds, the 2021-22 Lakers will become just the eighth team over the last 17 seasons to have an average roster age of 30 or more years old.
Interestingly, if Los Angeles’ average age remains that high, James will have been part of four of the eight oldest teams of the last 17 seasons: 2021-22 Lakers, 2013-14 Miami Heat, 2012-13 Heat, and 2010-11 Heat.
James already captained the oldest championship team since 2005-06.
He led the 2012-13 Miami Heat (31.2 average age) to the NBA title.
James, incidentally, has led three of the oldest five teams to a title in that span: 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers (29.5) and 2019-20 Lakes (29.1).
Jordan Seeking A Championship
With the addition of Jordan, the Lakers roster will now feature 10 players with at least 10 years of NBA experience.
And for Jordan, he’s sacrificing money for that ever elusive NBA championship.
The Detroit Pistons will waive DeAndre Jordan, allowing him to become a free agent, sources tell me and @JLEdwardsIII. Sources said Jordan is giving back $4M in a buyout of the remaining $20M on his deal.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 3, 2021
What Jordan’s role will be, remains to be seen.
The Lakers roster is already loaded with veteran talent, considering the additions of Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, Wayne Ellington, Dwight Howard, and Russell Westbrook this offseason.
And with Marc Gasol already in Los Angeles, minutes for Jordan might be sparse.
Last season, Gasol played a career-low 19.1 minutes per game with the Lakers.
Howard, meanwhile, checked in with a career-low 17.3 minutes per game while with the Philadelphia 76ers.
In 2020-21, Jordan posted his lowest minutes per game average since his second season in the league.
The one-time All-Star signed with Brooklyn in 2019, joining the star-studded core of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Jordan made 43 starts for the Nets last season, but registered well below his career averages with 7.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in 21.9 minutes per contest.
He was squeezed out of the rotation altogether in the playoffs, when Brooklyn opted to go small.
But signing Jordan might be a signal that Gasol may not return to the team.
The 36-year-old told reporters following his run at the Tokyo Olympics with Spain that he intends to play for Los Angeles this season.
However, but NBA reporter Marc Stein has heard that Gasol isn’t a lock to return to the team.
The would make Jordan’s signing more logical, unless the one-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA performer is happy vying for a championship while sitting on the bench.
NEXT: 1 Lakers Veteran Set To Ride The Bench This Season