According to a report by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Andre Drummond will be signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Once Andre Drummond clears waivers at 5 PM ET, he intends to sign with the Lakers, his agent Jeff Schwartz of @excelbasketball tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 28, 2021
Drummond was bought out by the Cleveland Cavaliers after averaging 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in the 25 games he’s played this year.
Andre Drummond to sign with Lakers
Drummond was moved for the first time when he told the Detroit Pistons he would be looking for a max contract. The Pistons traded him to Cleveland shortly after. Once the Cavaliers acquired Jarrett Allen, there was no need to keep Drummond, as he was the older, less impactful player. The two parties agreed to separate in mid-February, and Drummond was benched until an option to move on was made available. After failing to move him at the trading deadline, he was bought out.
Drummond’s Fit in Los Angeles
Drummond joining the Lakers may look like the next installment in the arms race to beat the Brooklyn Nets, but adding Drummond may be more about name recognition than on-court impact. For most, Drummond’s name conjures thoughts of a run and dunk big that would add rim protection and lots of rebounding.
Currently, Drummond doesn’t add much offense around the rim. He is shooting 50.3% from less than 5 feet, 62nd among 72 starting centers in the NBA. In Cleveland, he had opportunities to post up and create his own offense, contributing to those low shooting numbers. Drummond should accept a reduced role in Los Angeles and let his teammates create offense for him.
Drummond’s opponent field goal percentage at the rim is 62.7%, 45th among starting centers. This ranks lower than a 36-year-old Marc Gasol, who struggles which lateral movement. While in Cleveland, the younger Allen was able to protect the rim much better than Drummond. This may not be an issue once paired with Anthony Davis, but while Davis is out Drummond doesn’t plug any holes for the Lakers.
What Drummond can bring is rebounding, where the Lakers already rank 9th. He will be an additional body that the Lakers can put at center to shield Davis from extra contact. Drummond will have to accept a reduced role where he’ll be a bigger version of Montrezl Harrell, cleaning the glass, getting putbacks, rolling to the rim, and giving effort on defense.
Drummond will be most valuable in the playoffs. Gasol can no longer switch onto guards on the perimeter. He’ll be played off the court come playoff time. Drummond allows the Lakers to be able to defend more dynamic offenses while maintaining their advantage on the glass.
What’s Next for Drummond?
The rest of this season will just be Drummond trying to pick up a championship with the Lakers. Hopefully, by showing that he can contribute to winning basketball, he can get the contract he’s looking for elsewhere. Chances are slim that the Lakers would keep Drummond long-term if he is asking for anything near a max.
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To get the contract he wants, Drummond will have to go to a team desperate for a center. The Hornets, Celtics, Raptors, Kings, and Mavericks are all teams that may be looking to add what Drummond brings in the offseason. As a center with a dying skillset, Drummond will have to make the most of this season’s free agency before being phased out of the NBA.
Main Image: Embed from Getty Images
