Lakers Rumors: What Andre Drummond can realistically offer the Lakers
By Ronald Agers
The Lakers rumors were swirling all week leading up the NBA trade deadline with nothing happening. Now the focus is now on the buyout market as prominent players are receiving buyouts all over the league and the multiple teams wanting his services.
It is no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers have coveted Andre Drummond for weeks. Reports claim that the feeling is mutual in Drummond’s camp. But if the Lakers do get him, then what? Lake Show Life breaks down reality in this special report.
Now that Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office passed on a deal to bring in Kyle Lowry, The team entered buyout season as Lake Show Life predicted this week:
Now the Los Angeles Lakers are on the clock to bring in Andre Drummond and other players that got waived from their respective teams by April 9 to retain playoff eligibility.
But the drama this weekend has brought back two old rivals in the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers for the services of Andre Drummond according to the L.A. Times’ Brad Turner.
"Sources: Lakers and Celtics in running to land center André Drummond, but Knicks also have a shot. Drummond might make a decision today."
Well, the New York Post eliminated the Knicks with the quickness a few hours later. The New Knicks took themselves out of the running.
"Despite a report in the Los Angeles Times that the Lakers, Celtics and Knicks are the top three contenders to sign Drummond in the buyout market, the Knicks are against outbidding the other two clubs in an attempt to save their cap space. The Knicks have $15 million in cap space and could easily outbid Boston, the Lakers and Clippers. But they also could use that $15 million of space on draft night to easily make a trade while almost every other team would be over the cap."
Confused yet? Let’s talk Andre Drummond shall we?
In 25 games with Cleveland this season, Drummond averaged 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks in 18 games. He’s had monster double double games of…
- 26 points and 24 rebounds against the Milwaukee Bucks.
- 25 points and 22 rebounds against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
- 23 points and16 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons
- 24 points and14 rebounds against the Philadelphia 76ers.
- 19 points and 14 rebounds against the Los Angeles Clippers.
- 19 points and 16 rebounds against the Brooklyn Nets.
- 25 points and 17 rebounds against the Lakers.
Then there was this 33 point 23 rebound masterpiece against the New York Knicks.
On Thursday night after all of the trade hoopla had died out, the only two players that were on the minds of the championship contenders were LaMarcus Aldridge and Andre Drummond. According to Yahoo! Sports insider Chris B. Haynes, these two are the potential final piece to the eventual NBA champions.
https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1375316174892789763
On Saturday, the Brooklyn Nets shocked everyone (Especially Miami!) and signed Aldridge to a veteran’s minimum deal for the rest of the season.
The Los Angeles Lakers needing a center to somewhat replace the loss of Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee is probably the worst kept secret in Lakers Nation. Montrezl Harrell has been playing out of position ever since Anthony Davis’ injury and Gasol’s absence due to COVID-19 protocols. Marc Gasol has not panned out pretty much in general.
Over the next several pages, Lake Show Life breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of Andre Drummond assuming that he dons the purple and gold. If there is potential snag in negotiations and Boston signs him, we have that covered too. Let’s start with the positives of Andre Drummond in a Lakers uniform.