Andre Drummond Is About to Get Traded by the Cavs Because of His ‘Attitude and Play’
The Andre Drummond era in Cleveland is coming to an end soon, and everyone on the Cavs is thrilled about it.
Not only are the Cavs going to trade Drummond, but his “attitude and play” are the two major reasons why Cleveland can’t wait to get rid of the two-time All-Star.
The Cavs acquired Andre Drummond from the Pistons
The Pistons traded Andre Drummond to the Cavs on February 6, 2020. Detroit is in rebuild mode, so it made no sense for the franchise to keep the veteran center.
One of the best rebounders in the NBA, Drummond averaged 17.5 points and 11.1 rebounds in eight games with the Cavs in 2019-20 before the season was suspended in March due to COVID-19. The four-time rebounding champion picked up his player option for the 2020-21 season instead of opting for free agency.
In 25 games this season, Drummond is putting up 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds while shooting 47.4% from the field. He becomes an unrestricted free agent in the offseason of 2021, so it’s smart for the Cavs to trade him and get something in return.
Cleveland acquired Jarrett Allen from the Brooklyn Nets in the James Harden trade. The 22-year-old is the center the Cavs want to build around for the future. As soon as Cleveland got Allen, everyone in the NBA knew Drummond would be traded soon.
Andre Drummond will finish his brief Cavs career with averages of 17.5 points and 12.9 rebounds. While it will take some time for Cleveland to move the New York native, Drummond will be inactive until the Cavs officially deal him.
The Cavs will sit Andre Drummond until a trade is made
The Cavs will sit Andre Drummond until general manager Koby Altman finds a trade partner for him. Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that the Toronto Raptors and Cavs are engaged in active talks on a potential Drummond trade.
Charania notes that “Drummond was pulled from the lineup also in part due to his attitude and play recently, and sources say Cavaliers coach JB Bickerstaff has had multiple sit-down conversations with the big man.”
Drummond is a walking double-double. However, he’s very erratic with the ball in his hands and doesn’t impact winning. These two facets could change if a playoff team acquires him and puts the former ninth overall pick in successful positions. The Raptors must be hoping that Drummond is the missing piece for them.
Since entering the NBA in 2012, Andre Drummond is averaging 14.6 points and 13.8 rebounds. It’s going to be interesting to see if the Cavs get good value for Drummond in a trade, especially since the word is out that his attitude isn’t always right.
Do the Raptors need to trade for the big man?
The Raptors are 12-15 on the season, which is good for eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings. The team is currently starting Aron Baynes at center. He’s averaging 5.6 points and 5.5 rebounds in 18.8 minutes per game.
Do the Raptors need to acquire Andre Drummond to rise in the Eastern Conference standings? While his rebounding and defensive skills would help the team, Drummond’s clumsiness on the offensive end could stunt the growth of Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam.
It’s going to be fascinating to see where Drummond ends up and how much value the Cavs get in return for him.
Stats courtesy of Basketball Reference.
