Why the Los Angeles Lakers must sign Andre Drummond if bought out
By Jason Reed
Andre Drummond has always been one of the most interesting players in the NBA. If aliens came down to earth and only looked at the box scores to see who the best players in the league were, Drummond would be one of the biggest beneficiaries — along with Russell Westbrook.
Drummond is averaging 18.2 points and 14.6 rebounds (the best in the league) this season. He has averaged at least 13 points and 13 rebounds in every single season since 2013 and has career averages of 14.6 points and 13.9 rebounds per game and he is still only 27 years old.
The reality is that Drummond is not as great as his box score indicates. He is still a very solid basketball player and a two-time all-star, but Drummond is not in anyone’s top 20 players list. He is an old school player who would have been elite 30 years ago. Today, he gets overlooked.
He is still a very valuable asset for any contending team and there is a good chance that he will be on the move this season. Drummond is in the last year of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who may look to get anything that they can for half a season of the center they traded for last season.
This is even more true with the team acquiring young center Jarrett Allen from the Brooklyn Nets. There really is no point of keeping Drummond around this season, especially for a small-market team like the Cavaliers.
The problem is that some NBA execs believe that Drummond is worth only a second-round pick. Not only that, but Drummond’s contract is so high that it will be hard for any contending team to match the salaries to make the trade even possible.
If a trade is not possible then the next path for the Cavs is buying Drummond out to save some money and do his agents a favor that will hopefully be repaid in the future. The classic NBA buyout formula.
There are going to be many teams interested in Andre Drummond if he is bought out by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
No team should be more interested in Andre Drummond than the Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers should do anything it takes to sign Andre Drummond if he is bought out by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Drummond is exactly what this team needs, and quite frankly, could be the difference between winning the NBA Championship and falling short.
Seriously. A bought-out Drummond could swing the result of the NBA Finals. Here is why the Lakers should try and sign Drummond at all costs.