With contract talks between Andre Drummond and the Cleveland Cavaliers going the wrong direction, talks about his next destination are beginning to surface, with the Celtics, Spurs, and Los Angeles Clippers being named as early front-runners in the race for the 2x All-Star.
(via Evan Dammarell of Forbes)
If things smooth out and the playmaking and three-point shooting diminish, it becomes a lot more reasonable for Cleveland to talk themselves into extending Drummond. But, if things don’t get better it becomes even easier to flip Drummond and his mammoth expiring contract to another team to recoup assets to assist in their rebuild. Teams like the Boston Celtics, the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers all make sense as trade destinations for Drummond and according to sources, the Celtics are monitoring the situation.
Drummond, 27, is among the last of a dying breed of basketball big-men. Averaging 13.8 points and 1.6 blocks per game for his career, he’s a traditional style center who lives in the paint and emphasizes defense and rebounding.
In February, the Cavaliers acquired him in a trade from Detroit, with the hope that he would blossom into a star. Just a few weeks after, the NBA was forced to shut down as a result of COVID-19 and Drummond’s first run with the Cavs ended after just 8 games.
As a solid interior big, he undoubtedly brings a lot to the table. Still, one has to wonder what he is worth given his history of losing in Detroit and a playstyle that is out of touch with these present times.
He is owed over $28 million next season, which he can choose to accept, or decline and enter the market as an unrestricted free agent. It will be interesting to see the path he chooses.
