Los Angeles Lakers: Ranking the 3 best potential buyout options
By Zane Harris
#1: Andre Drummond
Andre Drummond is the best-case scenario buyout target for the Los Angeles Lakers
The final player that the Los Angeles Lakers should keep their eye on in the buyout market is Andre Drummond. Drummond is another player similar to Blake Griffin as he is not playing another game with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
This was accelerated by the James Harden trade.
In the trade, the Cavaliers received Jarrett Allen who created a redundancy at center on the roster. Both Allen and Drummond possess similar skill sets, however, Allen is younger and fits the timetable of the Cavaliers roster better than Drummond.
With there seemingly being no market for Drummond in terms of trades, it is likely that the Cavaliers will be forced to buy out Drummond’s contract.
Drummond could be the perfect replacement for Anthony Davis while he is sidelined. While he does not create the spacing or possess the offensive presence like Davis does, Drummond is a force to be reckoned with in the paint and is a defensive anchor.
Drummond is similar to the typical center you would see in the 90s. He is a rim protector, a rebounding machine, and rarely takes a shot further than five feet from the hoop.
He would fit in perfectly with the team’s defensive mindset and it would not be too far off to compare him to an upgraded JaVale McGee or Dwight Howard.
If Drummond is bought out by the Cavaliers, the Lakers would be able to sign him to a contract that would be similar to Howard’s and McGee’s last season.
However, just as the Lakers were forced to sit McGee and Howard in some of the most meaningful series of the year, they may be forced to do the same with Drummond.
If the opposing team plays a small ball lineup, it makes it almost impossible for a team with Andre Drummond to match up well on either side of the ball. He is too slow to keep up with a small ball center.
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However, against teams like the Clippers and Nets who regularly start a traditional center, Drummond would make for a perfect matchup. Lastly, if the Lakers are able to land Drummond it would take away any possibility that one of their competitors like the Nets would be able to add him to their roster.