The New Orleans Pelicans have added another former NBA champion to their center rotation amid a slew of injuries at the position.
The team announced Friday morning that it had signed DeAndre Jordan with Yves Missi expected to miss time with an ankle injury. The team is already without recently signed Kevon Looney (knee) and Karlo Matkovic (back) due to injuries.
Those absences meant that the team only had a pair of rookies in Derik Queen and Hunter Dickinson available for the team's home opener against the San Antonio Spurs and star center Victor Wembenyama. Queen played 14 minutes in the season-opener and logged 3 points and 5 rebounds, but he was only just recenlty cleared from a wrist injury and surgery that cost him the entirety of training camp. The Saints could also opt to play small with Saddiq Bey or Zion Williamson slotting in at the 5 spot.
The Pelicans dropped a hard-fought season-opener 128-122 to the Grizzlies, while the Spurs took down the Dallas Mavericks 125-92. Wembenyama starred with 40 points and 15 rebounds.
Jordan, 37, is entering his 18th NBA season and a familiar name from his days as an All Star caliber center with the L.A. Clippers, who drafted the 6-11 big man No. 5 overall out of Texas A&M in 2008. Jordan has also played for the Nuggets, where he was a member of the NBA champion roster in 2023, as well as stints with the Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, L.A. Lakers, New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers.
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Jordan appeared in 56 games for the Nuggets last season, averaging 3.7 points and 5.1 rebounds over 12.3 minutes per game.
The Spurs and Pelicans tip off at 7 p.m. Catch all the action on WWL Radio (870-AM; 105.3-FM).