The Brooklyn Nets didn’t make any moves at the trade deadline, but there was potential for a deal centered around DeAndre Jordan.
The Houston Rockets may not have been as committed to playing small ball as the world was led to believe. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Houston asked the Brooklyn Nets about DeAndre Jordan.
Jordan came to Brooklyn as somewhat of a package deal with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. He is no longer the All-NBA stud center he once was with the Los Angeles Clippers, but he is still a serviceable backup for Jarrett Allen, at the very least.
Woj just posted on IG that Rockets tried to bring the Nets into the 4 team trade. DeAndre Jordan was the target and Fertitta gave Morey the green light to spend. Nets weren’t interested: pic.twitter.com/q6DPb4loBD
— Adam Abramson (@Adam_Abramson1) February 8, 2020
“The Rockets tried to engage the Nets on DeAndre Jordan, [Brooklyn’s] center, when they were working on that four-team, 12-player trade that landed them Robert Covington and moved Clint Capela out,” Wojnarowski said.
“They had a window, once that trade was agreed to, for about 24 hours they could have added up to $12 million in salary. Their owner, Tilman Fertitta, had OK’d that. Brooklyn wasn’t interested in moving Jordan.”
It’s unclear what the Rockets could have given the Nets in a potential deal.
Jordan, 31, is not an indispensable piece for Brooklyn, but his relationship with Irving and Durant is notable. As stated earlier, they decided as a group to sign with the Nets and it might upset the apple cart to trade Jordan before Durant even steps on the floor.
The one-time All-Star is averaging 7.9 points and 9.6 rebounds in just under 21 minutes per game. He offers head coach Kenny Atkinson an option when presented with big physical centers like Joel Embiid and Marc Gasol.
