Nets mulling DeAndre Jordan signing to entice Kevin Durant
GM Sean Marks said Monday the Nets would look to add some size this summer. It looks like DeAndre Jordan could be that big man — as well as a lure to land the biggest free-agent fish: Kevin Durant.
Both Bleacher Report and the New York Times reported the Nets are exploring the feasibility of signing Jordan, who averaged a double-double last season for the crosstown-rival Knicks and happens to be close with Nets targets Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Irving — whom the Post has reported is near the top of the Nets’ wish list — has been recruiting Durant to Brooklyn, reportedly visiting the star forward in California and then again in New York after his Achilles surgery. Now Irving is reportedly trying to convince Jordan to cross the East River.
Durant, Irving and Jordan are all close and joined up to lead Team USA to a gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Could they team up again in Barclays Center?
“I think adding size is certainly something we’ll look at as the summer transpires,” Marks said. “But you never know what happens in the future.”
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The depressed market for centers could work in Brooklyn’s favor if they can land Jordan at a reasonable price.
The Nets got more than they had any right to expect from Ed Davis, who turned in a career season on a team-friendly one-year, $4.4 million deal last season. Brooklyn, holding Davis’ Non-Bird rights, can offer him a two-year, $11 million deal without digging into the cap space it is holding for the pursuit of Irving, Durant or any other max free agent.
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Davis has gone on record as saying he’d like to return to Brooklyn. But if he doesn’t, the 6-foot-11, 265-pound Jordan is a great alternative. A three-time All-NBA player, he’s got the highest career field-goal percentage in history (.670) and would provide some much-needed girth against big centers that gave spindly Jarrett Allen so much trouble.
Jordan, who, like Davis, is 30 years old, led the league in field-goal percentage five straight seasons from 2012-17. He averaged 11.0 points and 13.7 rebounds on .644 shooting for Dallas last season, and — despite losing minutes to Mitchell Robinson — 10.9 points and 11.4 boards on .634 shooting for the Knicks.
The Nets will have the room exception, which would pay $4.8 million next season.
