The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to sign veteran free agent center DeAndre Jordan to a one-year, $3.6 million contract, per ESPN senior insider Shams Charania.
Pelicans Agree To Sign 3-Time All-NBA Center DeAndre Jordan
A three-time All-NBA selection who was named an All-Star in 2016-17, Jordan’s prime is in the rearview.
Free agent center DeAndre Jordan is signing a one-year, $3.6 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management tells ESPN. The one-time All-NBA big man and 2023 champion enters his 18th season in the league. pic.twitter.com/kDRJE4Cnem
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 24, 2025
Nevertheless, between Jordan’s individual accomplishments, championship pedigree, and 17 years of experience, he’s the type of player who can have a tangible and intangible effect on the team’s season. When Kevon Looney returns from his proximal tibiofibular ligament sprain, he’ll more than likely be inserted into the Pelicans’ rotation. Bearing that in mind, Looney had a 2-3 week recovery timeline on Oct. 15, meaning he’s at least 1-2 weeks away from being cleared. During that time, it’s plausible that Jordan will be asked to play regularly, even if he doesn’t receive heavy minutes.
Jordan should be able to easily replicate Looney’s best skills: screen-setting and defensive IQ. He may even prove to be a more effective shot-blocker, though his rim-protection has declined with his athleticism. In a similar vein, at his age (37), he won’t be as capable as Looney when guarding out in space.
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The Pelicans are still trying to untangle their roster. Over the course of the season, they hope that it becomes clear who they need to prioritize and who they need to excise.
Those are often the tenants of a franchise that’s in a rebuild or on the verge of collapse. However, New Orleans is actually a playoff contender. Their issue is that they’ve been unable to get over the hump. Yet, this is due to a lack of durability and discipline rather than talent. To that point, though Looney can be a key rotation player, the fact the Pelicans already have to grab an injury replacement for him is dissatisfying.
How this effects rookie big man Derik Queen, who worked diligently to be ready for the season opener, is unclear. Jordan will probably move to the third-string behind Looney and Yves Missi when the team is completely healthy. Yet, Queen is theoretically capable of playing both power forward and center. With the NBA becoming increasingly fascinated with double-big and triple-big lineups, this move may even indicate that Queen will be used as more of a 4 than a 5 in the future.
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