DeAndre Jordan became an NBA champion for the first time in his career this past season with the Denver Nuggets, as he assumed an elder-statesman role behind Nikola Jokic. The veteran played in 39 games (starting eight) for Denver, averaging 5.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in those appearances before playing (very) sparingly in the Nuggets run to the title.
Still, the big man provides some value as a big body behind Jokic in the regular season and is as beloved a teammate as just about anyone you’ll come across in the NBA. There’s a reason Jordan continues to quickly get brought in by contenders, even as his production has slipped and his abilities on the defensive end have waned. After winning his first ring in Denver, and given the Nuggets were going to see a number of their veteran depth hit the free agent market alongside him, there was an expectation that he would return on a minimum deal to reprise his role as bench big and beloved locker room presence.
Shortly after the 6 p.m. opening of free agency, Chris Haynes brought word that Jordan was indeed returning to Denver.
Free agent center DeAndre Jordan has reached an agreement to return to the NBA champion Denver Nuggets, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 30, 2023
While Haynes didn’t provide a number, one figures this is on a minimum deal as the Nuggets won’t want to tie up their exceptions. It’s clearly a good fit for the two sides given how last year went and Denver keeps a favorite of the locker room in town.
