PHILADELPHIA — Could DeAndre Jordan become the 76ers’ much-needed backup center?
The Sixers are the front-runners to acquire the 14-year NBA veteran either as a waiver claim or a free-agent signee, according to ESPN.
Jordan signed a one-year, $2.6 million veteran minimum contract with the Lakers this season. He played in 32 games, starting 19, but fell out of the Lakers’ rotation. However, the 6-foot-11, 265-pounder would fill a backup center need for the Sixers.
The team has been in desperate need of a backup for Joel Embiid since packaging Andre Drummond along with Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and two first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for James Harden and Paul Millsap.
Right now, Millsap, at 6-7, has been backing up Embiid. The team signed 7-foot Willie Cauley-Stein to a 10-day contract on Thursday. However, he’s played only 4 minutes, 25 seconds of mop-up duty against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
Signing with the Sixers would reunite Jordan with coach Doc Rivers, Harden, and Tobias Harris.
Jordan played with Harris under Rivers when both players were with the Los Angeles Clippers.
The 33-year-old Jordan was a three-time All-NBA selection, two-time rebounding champion, and two-time All-Defensive selection during his 10 seasons with the Clippers.
Los Angeles acquired Harris during Jordan’s final season with the Clippers in 2017-18.
Jordan and Harden were teammates last season in Brooklyn. They had a lot of success playing together in pick-and-rolls, ending with Jordan finishing with alley-oop dunks.
Jordan has averaged 9.2 points and 10.4 rebounds in 962 NBA games with 775 starts. However, he’s averaged career lows of 4.1 points and 12.8 minutes this season with the Lakers.
