Lakers Rumors: Latest Buzz on DeAndre Jordan and Marc Gasol's Future in L.A.
The Los Angeles Lakers continue building a roster of notable names for the 2021-22 season. The centerpiece duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis is back, of course, and the Lakers have added standouts like Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard this offseason.
Another big-time player could soon join them on the Lakers roster. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, center DeAndre Jordan plans to sign with the Lakers once he's formally bought out by the Detroit Pistons:
Jordan—who is a one-time All-Star and has made two appearances on the NBA All-Defensive First Team—was recently traded along with four second-round picks and cash considerations to Detroit by the Brooklyn Nets. In exchange, Brooklyn will get forward Sekou Doumbouya and center Jahlil Okafor.
"We appreciate everything DeAndre has contributed to our organization over the past two seasons both on and off the court and wish him and his family the best moving forward," Nets general manager Sean Marks said, per NBA.com.
According to Wojnarowski, the Pistons made the trade with the intention of buying out Jordan's contract. The next step, as Wojnarowski pointed out, is for Jordan to clear waivers.
"Once the buyout agreement is signed, Jordan will have to clear waivers before becoming a free agent and signing with the Lakers," Wojnarowski wrote. "His contract terms make it virtually impossible for Jordan to be claimed by a team."
Jordan is set to earn roughly $9.8 million in each of the next two seasons, according to Spotrac.
If and when Jordan's signing with the Lakers becomes official, it will likely mean the end of Marc Gasol's tenure with the team. This has likely been Los Angeles' preferred outcome throughout the offseason—something to which NBA insider Marc Stein alluded before the Jordan trade.
"League sources say that L.A. has explored the pursuit of other centers even though Gasol has one year left on his original two-year deal," Stein wrote in late August.
More recently, Stein reported that Howard and Jordan are not the only centers Los Angeles has considered this offseason.
"League sources say that the Lakers had strong interest earlier in the summer in trying to reacquire Damian Jones, but Sacramento elected to retain Jones and make his contract guaranteed for the coming season even," Stein wrote.
Jones played eight games for the Lakers this past season, signing a pair of 10-day contracts to do so.
If Los Angeles winds up with Jordan, Howard and Davis—who prefers to be listed as a forward but can play center—on the roster, Gasol will be expendable.
According to The Athletic's Jovan Buha, Gasol is considering not returning to L.A. this season. That's a change from where Gasol stood just over a month ago:
However, much has changed since early August, and whether Gasol wants to return or not, the Lakers may simply have no room for him. They probably won't make a decision, though, until Jordan is officially acquired.
And nothing is official just yet, of course. However, it does appear that Gasol's time with the Lakers is nearing its end.
