DeAndre Jordan, Nuggets Reportedly Agree to 1-Year Contract in 2022 NBA Free Agency

Veteran center DeAndre Jordan is reportedly heading back out West.

Jordan has agreed to a one-year, veteran's minimum contract with the Denver Nuggets at the start of free agency Thursday, according to Mike Singer of the Denver Post.

Jordan signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in March after he was released by the Los Angeles Lakers. He had started 19 games for Los Angeles before falling out of the rotation. After being reunited with former Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers in Philadelphia, Jordan appeared in 16 games for the Sixers and averaged 4.6 points and 5.8 rebounds in 13.4 minutes.

By adding Jordan, the Nuggets are gaining a much-needed backup center behind two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. Denver had mostly employed JaMychal Green in that role, but he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder earlier this offseason. The Nuggets had also added DeMarcus Cousins late last season, and he averaged 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in 31 games with the team.

Jordan will be a strong low-post presence and pick-and-roll finisher for Denver, but he will make more of an impact on the defensive end. The Nuggets ranked 21st in the NBA last season after allowing opponents to shoot an average of 47 percent from the field. Jordan's rim protection will make a significant difference as he has a career average of 1.5 blocks per game.

The Nuggets are hoping to return to the top of the Western Conference next season. Denver will benefit from the returns of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. as both of them are recovering from season-ending injuries.