The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly planning to fire DeAndre Jordan to clear a roster spot for DJ Augustin’s signing. This is reported by Shams Charania (The Athletic). The Philadelphia 76ers may be interested in the sacked Big Man.
With Augustin, the Lakers have secured a guard with plenty of playoff experience and a consistently good throw, the 34-year-old has a three-pointer rate of 38.0 percent over his 13-year career.
Augustin could probably be used as an alternative to Russell Westbrook in the closing stages of a game in some cases. In 34 games this season, he averaged 5.4 points and 2.2 assists on shooting splits of 40.4/40.6/86.8 for Houston before being released by the Rockets on Feb. 10.
Jordan started 19 of his 32 appearances this season for the Lakers, delivering 4.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game at 67.4 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from the free throw line. According to Sharania, the Lakers are also planning to hand Wenyen Gabriel a two-way contract. The athletic forward has appeared in seven games for the Nets and Clippers this season.
The information about Philadelphia was supplemented by Adrian Wojnawrowski (ESPN), according to whose information the Sixers have been looking for a backup center for a long time and would target Jordan. That can happen in two different ways: either the Sixers file a waiver claim for the 33-year-old, or they hope that no other team files a claim for him and he becomes a free agent and then signs him.
With Andre Drummond sent to the Nets in a James Harden trade, the Sixers currently have 37-year-old Paul Millsap, Willie Cauley-Stein and Paul Reed as center options for when Embiid needs a break.
