Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons help each other with interesting swap

If last season’s playoffs and Steve Nash’s rotations had yet to solidify the Brooklyn Nets’ desire to have floor-spacing, versatile bigs, their trade of DeAndre Jordan to the Detroit Pistons should eliminate any doubt.

Through the first 48 regular-season games of the 2020-21 NBA season, DeAndre Jordan was registered as inactive just twice and started in all but 10 of those games. In the following 24 games, Jordan played on only 11 occasions, of which he started in seven.

Once the playoffs kicked off, so too was DeAndre Jordan’s place in the rotation. The one-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, and two-time All-Defensive center had been all but cut or traded. Until now.

Per Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nets moved Jordan to the Detroit Pistons not only to clear space on the roster that was otherwise wasted but also to clear salary from the Nets’ books, eliminating $47 million in salary and tax.

Furthermore, the Nets waived Alize Johnson, who was productive in 18 games with the team, making room for their next big move.

After a sudden mid-season retirement following an initial signing with the Nets, it seemed that LaMarcus Aldridge was done with the game of basketball. Yet, rumblings made their way through the media, and it seemed that if Aldridge were indeed to come out of retirement, it was likely that his return would be with the Nets. Well, come out of retirement he did, as on Friday, it was reported that Aldridge would be joining the Brooklyn Nets on a one-year deal, worth $2.6 million.

Altogether, these moves bring attention to the direction that the Nets, and perhaps the remainder of NBA teams are going. Moving Jordan, and effectively replacing him with Aldridge put Brooklyn in a position where any one of Paul Millsap, Blake Griffin, or Aldridge could start at the five-spot, leaving the other two to give opposing benches nightmares. Brooklyn’s star-studded frontcourt is capable of spacing the floor and bringing positionless play to an already ambiguously arranged team.

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As for the Pistons, their move seems geared towards the acquisition of future assets, in the form of four future second-round picks. While the Pistons do indeed take on Jordan’s salary, Detroit is expected to work towards a buy-out with Jordan, allowing him to command attention from contenders elsewhere in free agency (likely joining the Lakers).

The Pistons give up, however, both Jahlil Okafor and Sekou Doumbouya. Neither players were exceptionally impressive in their time this past season with the Pistons, as Okafor played the expected rim-protector, roll-man position, and Doumbouya making himself available as a lengthy defender and run-of-the-mill finisher at the rim.

It seems unlikely that Okafor will have much of a role in Brooklyn, seeing as he effectively matches, at a lower level, the style of play that Jordan employed.

The Nets bench is as strong as it is, having a roster that goes about 12 spots deep, means that Doumbouya, amongst others, must beat out the likes of James Johnson and DeAndre’ Bembry for the role of scrappy defensive enthusiast.

So, as the NBA seems to have distributed the All-Stars of old amongst a select few teams, Aldridge, Millsap, and the rest of the Nets seem poised to contend with the Bucks for a 2022 Finals bid. As for the  Pistons, their roster as it stands, excluding Mr. Jordan of course, looks to improve their game and build upon a collection of talented vets and promising young players.