After two roller-coaster seasons with the Brooklyn Nets, it seems two-time rebounding champion and 13-year veteran DeAndre Jordan is on his way out, one way or another.
Sean Marks and the front office have been hard at work trying to find a trade for the 33-year old but to no avail.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Monday morning that Brooklyn and Jordan have begun buyout discussions:
Center DeAndre Jordan and the Nets are working toward parting ways via contract buyout, sources tell me and our Nets reporter Alex Schiffer.
Jordan fell out of the Nets’ rotation for the last 16 games of last season, after averaging 7.5 points and rebounds.
It seems Marks and the front office are ready and willing to reshape the “Brooklyn Big Three,” replacing DeAndre Jordan with newly arrived, 2018 MVP James Harden.
But rest assured, the Brooklyn Nets will work hard to replace the veteran big man and fill his roster spot promptly.
They may even already have a target.
Isaiah Hartenstein to the Brooklyn Nets?
If the Brooklyn Nets successfully buy out DeAndre Jordan, a spot would open up in the team’s frontcourt rotation.
One name that immediately comes to mind: unrestricted free agent Isaiah Hartenstein.
The New York Post reported earlier this month that there was mutual interest between the two parties:
After declining his $1.9 million player option, the 23-year-old is an unrestricted free agent, and The Post has confirmed there is again mutual interest with the Nets. They attended his recent workout in Las Vegas.
Hartenstein was mentioned again in Brian Lewis’s latest for the New York Post and remains an option for the Nets.
The 23-year old big man averaged 8.3 points, six rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game across 17 appearances with the Cleveland Cavaliers last season.
Brooklyn’s been a big fan of Isaiah Hartenstein’s since before he was drafted in 2017.
With a roster spot pending, his name is as good a bet as any for DeAndre Jordan’s pending roster spot.
Largely, because the one other name that’s been heavily tied to the Brooklyn Nets is seemingly off the board.
Lewis: Millsap to Nets ‘Unilikely’
The Brooklyn Nets have also been tied to 36-year old, 15-year veteran, and four-time All-Star Paul Millsap.
Shams Charania included that they’re in pursuit of the forward in his report from Monday morning:
Along with Brooklyn and Golden State, the Bulls are pursuing free-agent forward Paul Millsap, sources said.
And while Brian Lewis confirmed that in his latest, he also added that his sources have called the addition unlikely:
The Athletic also reported Brooklyn was interested in signing Paul Millsap, although sources have indicated that move is unlikely.
Apparently, the 36-year old Millsap is after a bigger deal than the Nets can offer:
Brooklyn only has a veteran minimum (and a two-way) to offer, and the 36-year-old forward is believed to want more than that.
It’s an interesting contradiction, given that Charania reported that a spot in the starting five was up for grabs:
In Brooklyn, Millsap would compete for a starting power forward role alongside Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
If he opts to sign elsewhere, it could pave the way for Isaiah Hartenstein’s arrival.
An arrival that Sean Marks and the Brooklyn Nets front office have been working towards since 2017.
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Nets Could Be Targeting Seven-Footer with Pending Roster Spot: Report