Joel Embiid is Excited for DeAndre Jordan's Fresh Start With Sixers

Over the years, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has gained a new backup ahead of every season. A few years ago, Al Horford, Kyle O'Quinn, and Norvel Pelle shared the duty of filling in when Embiid was off the court.

Last season, the Sixers added Dwight Howard to the roster to fill that role. Ahead of the 2021-2022 NBA season, the 76ers brought in a former foe of Embiid's in Andre Drummond. As Drummond was looking to boost his stock once again, he took a team-friendly one-year deal to join forces with Embiid.

Drummond served the Sixers well in the 49 games he played in this year. He averaged 18 minutes off the bench and accounted for six points and eight rebounds per game. While the Sixers would've liked to keep Drummond on board for the eventual playoff run, he was included in the package that helped the Sixers land the star guard James Harden.

Now, the Sixers have a significant question mark surrounding the backup big man spot. With the rookie Charles Bassey, the second-year veteran Paul Reed, and the seasoned veteran Paul Millsap, the Sixers were left unsure of who could take over with Drummond no longer in the picture.

While one of those three guys could still win the role, the 76ers brought in more competition as DeAndre Jordan was recently waived by the Los Angeles Lakers and looking to get a fresh start somewhere else this season.

The Sixers signed Jordan last week, as expected. While the head coach Doc Rivers isn't totally sure of Jordan's role with the team just yet -- Embiid mentioned he's excited to have the veteran big man in the mix moving forward.

"[He brings] Rebounding, defense, and he's going to protect the rim," said Embiid on Saturday. "That's what he's great at. They're going to put him in those positions to be successful. We need a lot of help when it comes to rebounding, especially when I'm off the floor defensively. That's what he does, so I'm excited."

Jordan connected with the team for the first time when the Sixers took on the Miami Heat on Saturday night. Although he was available to play, he didn't receive any minutes. That will likely change as he gets familiar with his teammates and the system.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.