DeAndre Jordan's Pels contract puts him in elite company

DeAndre Jordan has joined the New Orleans Pelicans for his 18th season in the NBA. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

DeAndre Jordan's contract with Pelicans puts him in elite company

By Ted Goldberg | Last updated Oct 24, 2025 12:10 PM ET

DeAndre Jordan's NBA career is now old enough to be a legal adult.

The veteran center has joined the New Orleans Pelicans on a one-year deal per the NBA's official transaction wire. According to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, the deal is worth $3.6 million for Jordan's 18th NBA season.

Jordan spent the past three years as a backup center for the Denver Nuggets, helping the franchise win its first championship in 2023 as a key reserve.

Jordan's longevity is a sight to behold, as few players have stuck around the NBA for as long as he has.

Free agent center DeAndre Jordan is signing a one-year, $3.6 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management tells ESPN. The one-time All-NBA big man and 2023 champion enters his 18th season in the league. pic.twitter.com/kDRJE4Cnem
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 24, 2025

DeAndre Jordan's longevity in context

More than 5,000 players have suited up for at least one NBA game (excluding the ABA). According to Basketball Reference, only 80 players have appeared in more games than Jordan, who has played in 1,111 regular-season contests.

Fewer than two percent of all NBA players have stuck around that long, and Jordan, who played in 56 games last season, could climb up the leaderboard depending on his role in New Orleans.

Zion Williamson is undoubtedly the Pelicans top big, but injuries and conditioning have been a major concern with him throughout his career. The Pelicans played three other centers during their season-opening loss (Yves Missi, Derik Queen, and Hunter Dickinson) to Memphis.

On the all-time games played list, the next names for Jordan to surpass are Zach Randolph (1,116 games), Rick Mahorn (1,117 games), and Trevor Ariza (1,118 games). Robert Parish holds the NBA record for regular-season games played with 1,611. Among current NBA players, LeBron James leads with 1,562 games played.

Ted Goldberg

Ted Goldberg is a sports writer based in New Jersey who previously worked as a journalist for Spectrum News and PBS. He joined Yardbarker in September 2025, primarily writing about the NFL, MLB, and NBA. He graduated from Syracuse with a degree in Broadcast Journalism a very long time ago

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