Pelicans' Surprise Deandre Jordan Decision Highlights Big Offseason Need

The 2025-2026 season for the New Orleans Pelicans has been defined by shifting lineups and youth development. Yet, the team recently turned to a familiar face from a different era to steady the ship. DeAndre Jordan, the 37-year-old veteran center, has found himself back in the starting lineup, providing a massive defensive spark for a team searching for identity in the final stretch of the season. Interim head coach James Borrego inserted the 18-year veteran into the starting lineup during the Pelicans 126-111 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.

Jordan, who was making his first start since October, helped address a glaring need for the Pelicans all season long: a defensive interior presence. The former second-round pick did not disappoint, collecting 15 rebounds and blocking four shots in the victory. Borrego pulled the trigger on the move just before game time and outlined his thinking on putting the veteran in the starting lineup. "To be a good defensive ball club in this league, you've got to have some type of physicality, rim protection, deterrence, a presence in the middle — and he provided that”, Borrego said after Saturday’s win.

DeAndre Jordan turning back the clock pic.twitter.com/BCddherERd
— The Basketball Laboratory (@BasketballLabX) February 22, 2026

Pelicans Need to Add a Defensive Center in the Offseason

He followed that performance with another solid showing on Tuesday night. Jordan again was in the starting lineup against the Golden State Warriors and finished with six points, eight rebounds, and two blocks in 22 minutes of action.

Tuesday marked the return of guard Dejounte Murray from an Achilles rupture he suffered last season. With Murray back in the lineup, rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen came off the bench for the Pelicans. Defensively, New Orleans looks like a completely different team with a defensive-minded big man in the lineup. The pairing of Queen and Zion Williamson has proved detrimental on the defensive end, with the duo posting a horrendous defensive rating of124.

This season, the Pelicans rank 29th in the league in opponent offensive rebound rate, where opponents grab a rebound on nearly 31.5% of their misses. New Orleans also ranks 25th in opponent points per game in paint, yielding nearly 53 points per game in the restricted area. In the last two games, New Orleans has trimmed that number down to 47 points. A small sample size for sure, but it highlights the benefits of having a Jordan-like center manning the middle.

New Orleans hasn’t quite had a presence like that since Jonas Valanciunas was on the team a few years ago. The Pelicans signed veteran Kevon Looney in the offseason, but the former Warriors center has only appeared in 18 games this season. Jordan’s presence is beneficial off the court as well.

Queen got into an altercation Saturday night, and the veteran center was able to pull him aside to settle him down during the heat of the moment. Jordan acknowledged that stats do not just measure his time in New Orleans, but also his leadership and the wisdom he can impart on young bigs like Queen, Yves Missi, and Karlo Matkovic. “That's a part of the job”, Jordan said recently. “They’ve got bigs that are part of their future. So, coming in, I knew it was going to be: Play some nights, maybe not play some nights, be a mentor. But when my number is called, I’ve got to be ready."

"You had 12, 8, & 7 tonight. Don't sit down you gotta stand on that s--t" 🔥

DeAndre Jordan looking out for his rookie Derik Queen. True locker room vet 👏💯

(via @DillySanders) pic.twitter.com/q5rQZRMo7X
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 5, 2025

Being ready is something this organization must do when it comes to putting complementary pieces around Williamson and Queen in the low post. New Orleans already has some financial decisions to make regarding guards Jordan Poole and Dejounte Murray, who will make a combined $60+ million next season.

Freeing up some salary or striking a deal for a defensive center should be at the top of the priority list for New Orleans. Missi has not quite panned out the way they hoped, so adding more depth there this offseason is crucial. With 20+ games left in this season, there is plenty of growth for the young players and more chances for Jordan to help guide good tendencies for the future.

Whether it’s a temporary fix or a permanent shift for the remainder of the year, DeAndre Jordan has proven that he still has plenty of gravity in the paint and plenty of wisdom to pass down to the next generation of Pelicans.