What is Wrong With Deandre Jordan?

DeAndre Jordan is a veteran NBA player who has been in the league for over a decade. He was drafted in the second round of the 2008 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers and played with the team for ten seasons before moving on to play for the Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and now the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jordan is known for his athleticism, rebounding ability, and shot-blocking skills. However, despite his early success and solid career, there are concerns about his current performance and fit with his current team. In this blog, we will explore the issues with DeAndre Jordan’s game and discuss what may be holding him back.

What is Wrong With Deandre Jordan?

DeAndre Jordan is a veteran center who started his career with the Los Angeles Clippers and has also played for the Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Brooklyn Nets. In his prime, he was known for his athleticism, rebounding, and shot-blocking abilities. However, as he has gotten older, his skills have declined, and he has struggled to stay on the court for extended periods.

During his time with the Brooklyn Nets, he lost his starting role and eventually fell out of the rotation entirely. In the 2021-22 season, Jordan signed with the Los Angeles Lakers but has played limited minutes and has not been a significant factor for the team. In short, his declining skills due to age have impacted his playing time and effectiveness on the court.

Deandre Jordan’s Decline

DeAndre Jordan was once considered one of the most dominant centers in the NBA, known for his athleticism, rebounding, and shot-blocking abilities. However, over the years, Jordan’s skills have noticeably declined, and his once-dominant presence on the court has faded.

One reason for Jordan’s decline is his reliance on athleticism. While his physical attributes were undoubtedly impressive, his lack of development in other areas of the game left him vulnerable as he aged. In his prime, Jordan was able to use his size and athleticism to dominate the boards and protect the rim.

However, as his athleticism declined, he was unable to compensate with other skills such as shooting, passing, or defending in space. This made him a liability on the court, and teams began to exploit his weaknesses.

Another factor in Jordan’s decline is his declining efficiency. In his prime, Jordan was an extremely efficient player, shooting at a high percentage from the field and making the most of his limited offensive opportunities. However, as his athleticism declined, his efficiency suffered as well.

He became more prone to turnovers and missed shots, and his inability to space the floor or make plays for his teammates made him a less valuable contributor on the offensive end.

In addition, Jordan’s defense has declined in recent years. While he was once a dominant shot-blocker and rebounder, he has become less effective in those areas as his athleticism has diminished.

His lateral quickness has also declined, making it harder for him to defend in space or switch onto smaller players. As a result, teams have been able to exploit his weaknesses on the defensive end, making him a liability in pick-and-roll situations and other high-pressure scenarios.

DeAndre Jordan’s decline can be attributed to a number of factors, including his reliance on athleticism, declining efficiency, and deteriorating defense. While he was once a dominant player in the NBA, his skills have diminished over time, and he is no longer the force he once was on the court.

As he approaches the latter stages of his career, it remains to be seen how much he can contribute to his team, but it is clear that his best years are behind him.

Lack of Playing Time

DeAndre Jordan’s lack of playing time has been a major issue for him in recent years. He has struggled to find a consistent role on several teams, which has impacted his ability to contribute on the court. One reason for this lack of playing time is his declining skills, as mentioned in the previous section. However, there are other factors at play as well.

One of the primary reasons for Jordan’s lack of playing time is the changing landscape of the NBA. In recent years, the league has shifted towards a faster-paced, perimeter-oriented game, which has reduced the value of traditional centers like Jordan.

Many teams now prefer to play smaller, more versatile lineups that can switch defensively and shoot from the outside. As a result, centers who can’t keep up with the pace of the game are often relegated to the bench.

Another factor contributing to Jordan’s lack of playing time is his poor free throw shooting. In today’s game, teams are more likely to employ “hack-a-Shaq” tactics, intentionally fouling poor free throw shooters like Jordan to force them to the line. This not only hurts Jordan’s ability to stay on the court, but it also limits his team’s offensive effectiveness.

The impact of Jordan’s lack of playing time has been significant. He has gone from being one of the most dominant centers in the league to a role player coming off the bench. This has not only affected his statistics but also his overall value as a player. Teams are less likely to invest in a player who can’t contribute consistently, which has resulted in Jordan bouncing around the league in recent years.

DeAndre Jordan’s lack of playing time is a significant issue that has impacted his career in several ways. While his declining skills and poor free throw shooting have played a role, the changing landscape of the NBA has also been a factor. Jordan’s inability to adapt to these changes has hurt his overall value as a player, making it difficult for him to find a consistent role on recent teams.

Defensive Issues

DeAndre Jordan’s defensive abilities have been a critical component of his game throughout his career. Unfortunately, in recent years, his defense has declined significantly. A significant reason for this decline is his reduced mobility and quickness. As players age, their reflexes and agility often decline, making it difficult for them to stay with younger, more athletic players.

In particular, Jordan has struggled to guard the pick-and-roll. The pick-and-roll is a prevalent offensive strategy in the NBA, where a player sets a screen for the ball handler to create space or force a defensive switch.

In this scenario, Jordan’s lack of mobility makes it challenging for him to switch onto smaller, faster players. Opposing teams have exploited this weakness, forcing switches that leave Jordan out of position and unable to contest shots or prevent drives to the basket.

Furthermore, Jordan’s inability to move laterally has resulted in him being slow to close out on three-point shooters, leading to open shots and easy baskets for the opposing team.

In today’s NBA, where three-point shooting has become increasingly critical, defensive liabilities such as Jordan can be exploited and ultimately lead to a player’s decreased playing time.

In addition to his mobility issues, Jordan has also been criticized for his effort on defense. There have been instances where he appears to be disinterested in guarding his man or protecting the rim, leading to easy baskets for the opposing team.

Overall, Jordan’s defensive struggles have been a significant factor in his decline as a player. As the league has evolved, becoming increasingly reliant on speed and quickness, Jordan’s lack of mobility has made it challenging for him to keep up with the younger, more athletic players.

Unless he can address these issues, it is unlikely that he will see significant playing time or have a major impact on a team’s success.

Offensive Struggles

DeAndre Jordan’s offensive game has never been particularly diverse. He has always relied heavily on his athleticism and size to score points, but he lacks the shooting range or ball handling skills that many modern NBA big men possess. As a result, he has always been something of a one-dimensional offensive player, with his scoring coming almost entirely from dunks, put-backs, and pick-and-rolls.

While this style of play was effective earlier in his career, it has become less so in recent years as teams have increasingly relied on spacing and outside shooting to open up the floor. Jordan’s inability to stretch the floor or even hit mid-range jumpers has made it more difficult for his teams to run effective offenses. Defenses can sag off him and clog the lane, making it harder for his teammates to drive or cut to the basket.

Furthermore, Jordan’s offensive game has become somewhat predictable over the years, making it easier for opponents to defend him. His lack of shooting range means that he rarely ventures beyond the restricted area, and he tends to catch the ball near the basket and go up for a dunk or layup. Defenses can easily anticipate his moves and position themselves to contest his shots.

To be fair, Jordan has never been known as a prolific scorer, and his primary value has always been on the defensive end of the court. However, as his offensive game has become less effective, his overall impact on the court has diminished. His teams have struggled to find ways to incorporate him into their offensive schemes, and he has become something of a liability on that end of the court.

Fit With Recent Teams

DeAndre Jordan’s skillset has not aged well in today’s NBA, which prioritizes floor spacing and versatility. Jordan’s inability to shoot from the perimeter and his reliance on athleticism has made him a liability on the offensive end, limiting his role on the court.

Recently, Jordan has struggled to find his place on the Brooklyn Nets, a team that values outside shooting and ball movement. With the emergence of young center Nicolas Claxton and the signing of veteran big man LaMarcus Aldridge, Jordan has seen a decline in his playing time and role on the team.

His lack of versatility and offensive output made it difficult for him to contribute to the Nets’ success during the 2020-2021 season.

Similarly, during his stint with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2021-2022 season, Jordan struggled to fit in with the team’s style of play.

The Lakers were a team built around their stars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and relied on perimeter shooting from players like Russell Westbrook and Kent Bazemore. Jordan’s limited offensive game and his lack of perimeter shooting made it difficult for him to find his place on the court and contribute to the team’s success.

Jordan’s fit issues are not solely related to his offensive struggles. His defensive limitations also make it difficult for him to contribute to modern NBA teams. With the increased emphasis on the pick-and-roll in today’s game, Jordan’s lack of mobility and quickness have made him a liability on the defensive end, limiting his playing time and role on the court.

DeAndre Jordan’s skillset does not align with the modern NBA game, making it difficult for him to find his place on recent teams like the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers.

His inability to shoot from the perimeter and his defensive limitations have made him a liability on both ends of the court, limiting his playing time and role on the team. As the NBA continues to prioritize floor spacing and versatility, it remains to be seen whether Jordan will be able to adapt and find a place in the league.

Deandre Jordan’s Career Stats

FAQs

What were DeAndre Jordan’s strengths earlier in his career?

Earlier in his career, DeAndre Jordan was known for his exceptional athleticism and rebounding ability. He was also a dominant force on defense, regularly ranking among the league leaders in blocks and defensive rebounds.

What teams did DeAndre Jordan play for before the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers?

DeAndre Jordan started his NBA career with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2008 and played for them for over a decade. He also briefly played for the Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks before joining the Nets and the Lakers.

What awards has DeAndre Jordan won during his career?

DeAndre Jordan has been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team twice (2015, 2016) and the All-NBA Third Team once (2015). He has also led the league in rebounding twice (2014, 2015) and field goal percentage once (2017).

Is DeAndre Jordan still an active NBA player?

Yes, DeAndre Jordan is still an active NBA player and is currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Conclusion

DeAndre Jordan was once considered one of the premier centers in the NBA, known for his athleticism, rebounding, and shot-blocking ability. However, his decline in recent years has been evident, with his skills and abilities suffering, and his fit with modern NBA game style being questioned.

His lack of playing time on recent teams, defensive struggles, offensive limitations, and poor fit with teams have all contributed to his fall from grace. While Jordan’s future prospects in the NBA are uncertain, it is clear that his days as a dominant center are behind him.

Nevertheless, he has had a successful career, including multiple All-Star selections and an Olympic gold medal, and will always be remembered for his high-flying dunks and dominant play on the court.