Overview
- The Pelicans agreed to a two-year, fully guaranteed deal for DeAndre Jordan worth about $7.9 million, a signing first reported over the weekend by multiple outlets.
- Because the NBA’s veteran‑minimum reimbursement applies only to one‑year deals, New Orleans will not receive roughly $3 million in league payback and will carry a $3.88 million cap hit in 2026‑27 and about $4.07 million in 2027‑28.
- Team sources told reporters management believed Jordan had one‑year interest elsewhere and that a two‑year guarantee was needed to keep his locker‑room leadership for a young core.
- Local writers and analysts have sharply criticized the front office, calling the two‑year guarantee an avoidable error that needlessly raised the club’s financial burden and tax exposure.
- Jordan played just 12 games for the Pelicans last season but won the NBA’s Teammate of the Year for his mentorship role and can reach a 20‑year career with this contract, a factor the team cited as weighing into its decision.