NBA Rumors: DeAndre Jordan told people he didn't join Brooklyn Nets "to be Jarrett Allen's backup"

During his stint with the Brooklyn Nets, DeAndre Jordan openly told his inner circle that he did not like his role in Jarrett Allen's shadow, according to the latest reports. The veteran big also had run-ins with then-coach David Atkinson, the fallout of which eventually resulted in the Brooklyn Nets HC being fired.

Per Anthony Puccio of 'The Association':

"The biggest elephant in the room: Jordan allegedly told those around him that he didn’t come to Brooklyn to be Jarrett Allen’s backup. Atkinson would not bow down to Jordan, thus providing one of the first dominoes in his firing. As soon as Atkinson was ousted, DJ was back in the starting lineup."

This makes more sense as DeAndre Jordan saw a noticeably increased role under Coach Steve Nash the second year around, and started in 43 of the 57 games he played.

For his birthday, we count down @DeAndre's TOP 10 DUNKS! #NBABDAY pic.twitter.com/hJAsgSJf0d

— NBA (@NBA) July 22, 2017

The Brooklyn Nets ended up packaging DeAndre Jordan with four second-round picks to Detroit Pistons for Jahlil Okafor and Sekou Doumbouya in return. After he cleared his waivers, DJ signed with the LA Lakers and will begin his season in Hollywood.

What DeAndre Jordan's stint with the Brooklyn Nets means for his future

DeAndre Jordan was picked 35th overall in the 2008 NBA draft.

Even though DeAndre Jordan acquired a more frequent starting role in his second season with the Brooklyn Nets, his numbers dropped to 7.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. The 32-year-old center recorded the team's worst defensive rating (114.8) and had noticeable spats with the coaching staff and James Harden on numerous occasions.

💪 DeAndre Jordan dunks with authority for the @BrooklynNets! #NBAChinaGames📺: @NBATV pic.twitter.com/S5sZpXKy8d

— NBA (@NBA) October 10, 2019

While DeAndre Jordan might be used to sharing minutes with elite superstars, his productivity has decreased considerably. Fighting for minutes against stars like Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, and Marc Gasol next season with the LA Lakers will present a different set of challenges for the former LA Clippers star.

It'll be interesting to see how DJ maneuvers his way into the offensive and defensive schemes of Coach Vogel, such that his contributions increase down the stretch.

The LA Lakers will need all the help they can get if they're planning on beating teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns next season. And DeAndre Jordan could be the final piece to that puzzle.