Andre Drummond‘s game has taken another leap this season, and while the challenge for him is to become more consistent, the soon-to-be restricted free agent is impressing many, including Pistons owner Tom Gores, as Rod Beard of the Detroit News examines.
“He’s developing incredibly and I’m not surprised. We knew it from the first time he got on the floor,” Gores said. “He worked so hard this summer to develop some other skills and right now it’s showing on the floor and his character is reflecting on the team. You can talk about it, but then you have to do it. Andre’s doing it and he’s also developing great chemistry among all the players. You can say it or you can do it.”
Gores already referred to Drummond as a “max player” this spring, and with the Pistons and Drummond working in concert when they tabled extension discussions with the idea of allowing the team more cap flexibility in the summer, it doesn’t appear as though the big man’s free agency will carry much suspense. See more from the Central:
- Consistency might be the last hurdle for Drummond, but it’s a hallmark for Tristan Thompson, who played his 300th consecutive game Thursday, not counting the preseason games he missed while holding out this fall for his new deal with the Cavs. Thompson’s willingness to always be ready helped endear him to LeBron James, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com.
- The decision to trade Brandon Knight didn’t clear the way for the Bucks to lay a five-year, $70MM contract on Khris Middleton, as Jason Kidd suggested, as much as it gave them the opportunity to sign Greg Monroe, argues Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. Milwaukee struggled offensively last season after shedding Knight, but bringing Monroe in as the remedy to that has knocked a hole in the team’s defense, Bontemps points out. Kidd remains confident, chalking the poor play up to the team’s youth, Bontemps notes.
- Free agent signee Monta Ellis is bouncing back after a slow start and the remade Pacers roster has the look of a playoff team, even if Indiana isn’t in 50-win territory, opines Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders.