Brooklyn Nets: Latest buzz suggests DeAndre Jordan won’t return in 2021-22

The Brooklyn Nets have done an excellent job retooling their roster this offseason after their championship dreams fell short in 2020-21.

While the additions of Patty Mills, Jevon Carter and Cam Thomas provide needed depth in the backcourt behind James Harden and Kyrie Irving, we were more impressed by what the Nets did to address their frontcourt situation.

We hate to pin all of Brooklyn’s frontcourt problems on one player, but DeAndre Jordan making $9.9 million just to sit on the bench was extremely debilitating.

Largely viewed as a player the Nets would move on from this offseason, Jordan’s relationship with the Big 3 was apparently too strong for GM Sean Marks to even consider ditching his contract, per a report from the New York Daily News.

That report was enough to drive fans insane, but the latest buzz suggests Jordan could be on his way out of town.

In his latest article for The Athletic, Alex Schiffer was adamant in proclaiming that Jordan won’t be back with the Nets in 2021-22.

It seems like the Nets want to move on from DeAndre Jordan.

Here’s what Schiffer had to say about Jordan’s future.

"“From what I’ve been hearing, I would be surprised if Jordan is a Net by the time the team heads to San Diego for training camp. He’s already been shopped throughout the draft and offseason and you can start to read the writing on the wall. Now, assuming he’s gone, I’m curious about the exit route. Is it a trade, when there has already been a lack of a market for him and the Nets lack draft capital and young talent to part with for a significant return? Buyout? Waived? Regardless, I do not expect him back.”"

You hear that? That’s the sound of the entire Nets fanbase breaking the sound barrier in utter elation. While this report doesn’t confirm that Jordan is guaranteed to leave, it seems like Marks is preparing the divorce papers.

It goes without saying teams won’t be lining up with trade offers for Jordan, so the Nets’ best (and likely only) option is agreeing to a buyout with the 33-year-old. We know Marks doesn’t like admitting to mistakes, but keeping Jordan on the roster after he didn’t log a single minute in the playoffs would be a worse look.

While Jordan’s bond with Kevin Durant, Harden and Irving is vital for team morale, it speaks volumes that the Nets preferred to deploy Blake Griffin, Nicolas Claxton, and Jeff Green at the center position over him last season.

While Green left in free agency, the Nets turned around and signed James Johnson on top of drafting Day’Ron Sharpe and RaiQuan Gray. We also wouldn’t rule out Alize Johnson seeing an uptick in minutes at the five in small-ball lineups, as Brooklyn clearly likes what he brings to table off the bench.

The Nets wouldn’t have overhauled their frontcourt if they weren’t considering their options with Jordan. Though a divorce might not happen right away, we’d advise fans to take Shiffer’s advice and plan for the two-time rebounding champ to have a new home by the time the 2021-22 regular season kicks off.

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