Andre Drummond Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Sixers’ Andre Drummond Opting In For 2025/26

June 27th, 2025 at 12:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers center Andre Drummond has decided to pick up his $5MM player option for the 2025/26 season, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). The move locks in Drummond’s salary for next season and lines up him to return to the unrestricted free agent market in the summer of 2026.

Drummond initially signed a two-year, $10MM contract with Philadelphia last offseason. The Sixers made him a priority in free agency after coming to terms with Paul George on a maximum-salary contract because they wanted to make sure they had a reliable veteran backup for Joel Embiid.

As it turned out, Embiid played just 19 games in 2024/25 due to a knee issue, but Drummond battled health problems of his own, with a nagging toe injury limiting him to 40 appearances, including 23 starts. He averaged 7.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steal in 18.8 minutes per game.

While Drummond, one of the NBA’s all-time best rebounders, continues to grab boards at an elite level, the Sixers struggled during mightily during his minutes this past season, posting a net rating of -15.5 when he was on the court. Of course, Philadelphia had a poor season all around in ’24/25, but the team had a more respectable -4.3 net rating when Drummond didn’t play.

Drummond is one of three Sixers veterans holding player options for next season. The team is still waiting on decisions from Kelly Oubre ($8.4MM) and Eric Gordon ($3.5MM).

Philadelphia now has five players on guaranteed salaries for 2025/26. Those five players – Embiid, George, Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and Drummond – will earn a combined $154MM, which is right around where the salary cap is projected to come in.

Fischer’s Latest: Kuminga, Grimes, Grizzlies, Nets

June 21st, 2025 at 5:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls expressed interest in Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga during past trade talks and could be a candidate for a sign-and-trade deal to land the restricted free agent, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Sources tell Stein that Chicago inquired about Kuminga during discussions that involved Alex Caruso, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic.

Fischer states that re-signing with the Warriors appears to be the most likely outcome for Kuminga, but cautions that it’s hard to predict his potential market until the Suns decide where they’re trading Kevin Durant. Fischer hears that Kuminga could be among several players the Heat plan to target if they don’t land Durant, echoing a report earlier this week from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who mentioned Chicago and Miami as potential sign-and-trade destinations for Kuminga.

Fischer adds that Kuminga will probably need a sign-and-trade to change teams because the Nets, the only current club with significant cap space, don’t appear to be interested, nor do the Pistons, who could theoretically create enough room to make a competitive offer, or the Hawks, who have a $25MM trade exception from the deal that sent Dejounte Murray to New Orleans last summer.

Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. will meet with the media on Monday, and Fischer expects Kuminga’s future to be a prominent topic.

Fischer shares more inside information from around the NBA:

“Numbers-crunchers” who talked to Fischer expect Sixers free agent guard Quentin Grimes to get offers in excess of the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Grimes turned into a potent scoring threat after being acquired from Dallas in February, averaging a career-high 21.9 PPG in 28 games. The financial experts that Fischer consulted expect Philadelphia to be able to afford to keep Grimes, although the team’s financial situation will be affected by what Kelly Oubre, Eric Gordon and Andre Drummond do with their player options.
After acquiring the No. 16 pick from Orlando in last weekend’s Desmond Bane trade, the Grizzlies may opt to move up or down by draft night, sources tell Fischer. He hears that the team’s priority with any moves will be to create enough financial flexibility to renegotiate and extend Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s contract and to re-sign free agent forward Santi Aldama.
With four first-round picks and a ton of cap space, the Nets have a chance to be the league’s most active team on draft night. Fischer suggests that one option will be to facilitate deals by taking on unwanted contracts and then try to flip those players for more assets ahead of next season’s trade deadline.

Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Durant, DeRozan, Kuminga, Sixers, Yabusele, Flagg

June 19th, 2025 at 8:05am CST by Arthur Hill

Potential moves around the NBA are on hold as the league waits for the Suns to finalize a Kevin Durant trade, according to Mark Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

They mention Kings forward DeMar DeRozan as a player who could be a “fallback trade target” for unsuccessful Durant suitors and cite a report from James Ham of The Kings Beat, who said on his podcast this week that the Heat may be among the teams that pursue DeRozan.

Sources tell Stein and Fischer that Miami has previously expressed interest in forward Jonathan Kuminga, who’s about to become a restricted free agent, and could become a sign-and-trade partner for the Warriors, echoing a report earlier this week from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

After weeks of speculation, there still doesn’t appear to be a clear favorite to land Durant, who’s widely expected to be dealt before the first night of the NBA draft on Wednesday. Stein and Fischer state that the Spurs and Rockets haven’t seen a need to increase their offers, being reluctant to add an older player to their young cores and knowing that Phoenix wants to resolve the situation quickly. The Timberwolves are still interested, but are hesitant to go all in with their offer without some indication that Durant would consider an extension.

Stein and Fischer share more inside information from around the league:

A source tells the authors that the Sixers are currently expected to hold onto their No. 3 pick in the draft. They add that Philadelphia is still interested in trading up with San Antonio to grab Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, but the Spurs appear set on keeping the No. 2 selection. The report on the Sixers’ plans came before news broke late Wednesday that Ace Bailey has called off his scheduled workout with the team.
Stein and Fischer point out that the guaranteed contract for the No. 3 choice will add an $11.1MM salary to the Sixers‘ books next season. Sources tell them that Philadelphia plans to operate either near or above the second apron as they hope for improved health from Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey. Stein and Fischer expect Kelly Oubre, Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon to all pick up their player options, and sources tell them that re-signing Quentin Grimes remains an offseason priority. They add that it will become “increasingly challenging” to retain big man Guerschon Yabusele, who’s expected to draw strong interest on the free agent market.
Stein and Fischer hear that Cooper Flagg was “impressive” this week as he traveled to Dallas to meet with general manager Nico Harrison, coach Jason Kidd and other Mavericks officials. Flagg also worked out for about an hour, displaying the skills that have made him a lock to be the No. 1 pick.

Sixers Rumors: Oubre, Drummond, Gordon, Grimes, Yabusele, Bona

May 11th, 2025 at 6:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers should plan on having Kelly Oubre, Andre Drummond, and Eric Gordon on their books this summer, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Oubre, Drummond, and Gordon all hold player options for next season, but are considered likely to exercise them before the June 29 deadline.

That doesn’t necessarily mean all three players will still be on Philadelphia’s roster when the 2025/26 season tips off, since any of them could be traded after opting in. But it does mean the Sixers will have to account for their respective cap hits this offseason — Oubre’s option is worth $8.38MM, Drummond’s is for $5MM, and Gordon’s would pay him $3.47MM.

Assuming all three players pick up their options, the amount of guaranteed money on Philadelphia’s cap for next season would increase to approximately $166MM for seven players. That figure doesn’t include the cap hold for their first-round pick – which they may or may not keep, depending on the lottery results – or new deals for free agents like Quentin Grimes and Guerschon Yabusele.

Next season’s luxury tax line projects to be at $187.9MM.

Here’s more on the Sixers:

The 76ers are projecting confidence that they’ll be able to re-sign Grimes, according to Stein and Fischer. Grimes will be eligible for restricted free agency this offseason after failing to come to terms on a rookie scale extension with Dallas last fall. The Mavericks didn’t get up to $10MM per year with their offer at that time, per Stein and Fischer, but the 25-year-old looks like a good bet to get a deal exceeding that annual salary this summer after a breakout 2024/25 season that included a 21.9 PPG scoring average in 28 games as a Sixer.
League sources also continue to tell Stein and Fischer that Philadelphia hopes to re-sign Yabusele and made moves at the trade deadline (namely, dealing Caleb Martin) to create more financial flexibility to retain him. Yabusele’s Non-Bird rights won’t allow for much of a raise, so the Sixers will likely have to dip into their mid-level exception to make a competitive offer.
Speaking to TRT Spor, Ergin Ataman, the head coach of the Turkish national team indicated that the plan is for Sixers big man Adem Bona to participate in the EuroBasket tournament this summer (hat tip to Eurohoops). “Last week, our sporting director Alper Yilmaz visited him, and Adem is very enthusiastic about playing for the national team,” Ataman said of the 22-year-old, who is coming off his rookie season in Philadelphia. “He’ll be coming for the European championship.”
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey appeared on the Rights To Ricky Sanchez podcast (YouTube link) this week to discuss a number of Sixers-related topics, including the team’s lottery pick, Joel Embiid‘s knee injury, and more.

Sixers Notes: George, Maxey, Lowry, Grimes, Oubre, Drummond

April 13th, 2025 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

There were sky-high expectations for the Sixers heading into this season after Paul George signed with the team as a free agent last summer, joining Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to form a big three. However, Philadelphia lost 12 of its first 14 games en route to a massively disappointing 24-58 season, as injuries decimated the roster and prevented the team from ever gaining any real momentum.

“Yeah, it was just, to be honest, one of the toughest seasons for me,” George said on Sunday, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “Just with a lot of adversity on the court, off the court and, then again, the injury stuff was some stuff that I didn’t necessarily know I had going on … which was frustrating.”

As ugly as this season was, George and Maxey indicated on Sunday that they still believe the core is capable of competing for a championship in future seasons.

“The names on the paper … it looks nice. It does,” Maxey said. “And I think we’ve seen where our peaks can be this year. There wasn’t a lot of them. But there was some stretches where we all played and we looked really good. We found the right rotations, we knew who to get the ball to, who we need to get the ball to them, everybody got shots, everybody looked good.

“So the sky’s the limit. That’s the thing that I can say. But the work has to be put in from day one, not from in the middle of the season. … Today is our last game. Whenever everybody decides to start working out again, that’s when our season for next year starts, individually and collectively. And it has to be taken serious. And I think we will take it serious and I have the ultimate faith in the organization and the guys up top and my teammates to do that.”

Here’s more on the 76ers:

Maxey told reporters on Sunday that he needs “about another month” before his finger injury recovery has progressed enough for him to resume basketball activities, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports.
Veteran point guard Kyle Lowry said after Sunday’s regular season finale that he’d like to play at least one more year in the NBA and hopes to do it with his hometown Sixers, per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link). Lowry, who turned 39 last month, is finishing up his 19th NBA season, so one more would give him an even 20.
Quentin Grimes, who entered Sunday’s game with 1,978 minutes played this season, logged 35 minutes in Philadelphia’s loss to Chicago to surpass the 2,000-minute threshold and meet the starter criteria. That means his qualifying offer as a restricted free agent this summer will be worth $8,741,210 instead of $6,311,825. That change is unlikely to affect how Grimes’ free agency plays out, since he’s a strong candidate to sign a lucrative multiyear contract.
Here’s what Sixers wing Kelly Oubre, who holds an $8.4MM player option for 2025/26, had to say about his contract situation on Sunday, according to Bodner (Twitter link): “This is a business, but at the end of the day I’m happy. And I like to finish what I start, and I don’t feel complete. So, godspeed.”
Big man Andre Drummond also has a player option for ’25/26 (worth $5MM) and expressed interest in remaining in Philadelphia. “My plan is to be back,” he told reporters after Sunday’s game (Twitter link via Bodner).

Sixers’ Nurse: Health Of Embiid, George Crucial For Next Season

April 8th, 2025 at 8:01am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers‘ nightmare season is about to end, but there are no guarantees that next season will be any better or that their stars will be any healthier. Before Monday’s game at Miami, which marked Philadelphia’s 12th straight loss and its 29th in 32 games, coach Nick Nurse talked about the prospects for 2025/26, acknowledging that everything centers around the availability of Joel Embiid and Paul George, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“There’s, obviously, a good number of them that need to get taken care of, get back to health, but obviously, Joel and Paul will be the big concerns,” Nurse said. “Can they get back and get ready to go? And I guess we won’t find that out for a little while, and then you start unpacking and then you get back to thinking there’s some really, really good players there and start piecing it together and then we get ready to build out the rest of the roster around them.”

Embiid dealt with left knee issues all season long and was limited to just 19 games. Swelling in the knee delayed his season debut until November 12, and he was in an out of the lineup after that. He was eventually shut down for good on February 28 and will undergo arthroscopic surgery later this week.

Embiid remains a force when he’s healthy, having averaged 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 30.2 minutes per game, but the Sixers will need him on the court far more often to be competitive. The extension he signed last summer gives him $179MM in guaranteed money over the next three years, with a $69MM player option for 2028/29.

The Sixers viewed George as the missing piece to a title contender when they signed him to a four-year max deal in free agency. Various injuries limited him to 41 games before he was ruled out for the rest of the season on March 17 due to adductor and knee issues.

George averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in his first season with Philadelphia, but he never reached the All-Star level he displayed during his time with the Clippers. He’s owed $51.7MM next season, $54.1MM in 2026/27 and holds a $56.6MM player option for 2027/28.

As Pompey notes, the Sixers’ injury woes didn’t end with their two veteran stars. Tyrese Maxey appeared in just 52 games and hasn’t played since March 3 due to an injured finger tendon. Rookie guard Jared McCain quickly found his way into the rotation, but was lost for the season after 23 games with a torn meniscus. Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, Kyle Lowry and several others have also missed significant time due to injuries.

The results have been ugly, as the Sixers have struggled to field a competitive team since the All-Star break. Nurse used his 53rd different starting lineup of the season on Monday, Pompey notes in a separate story, consisting of Lonnie Walker, Quentin Grimes, Adem Bona, Marcus Bagley and Jared Butler. Pompey points out that Bona was the only member of that group who was on the roster before February.

Nick Nurse Reflects On Difficult Season After Sixers Officially Eliminated

March 29th, 2025 at 11:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Head coach Nick Nurse discussed the frustrations of a lost year after the Sixers were officially eliminated from postseason contention with Saturday’s loss to Miami (Twitter video link from PHLY Sixers).

“Obviously it’s not anywhere near where we had hoped it would be when we set out this summer and this fall, that’s for sure” Nurse said. “That’s the only thing you can say, it was a super struggle. You know, most of the way I think there was only a couple times of some momentum. Right? December, and there was another I think four- or five-game winning streak in there, too, where you were always holding out hope that the team was playing better and getting some wins and hopefully get some players back.”

That turnaround never came, as the Sixers were plagued by injuries to stars and role players throughout the season. Franchise cornerstone Joel Embiid was limited to 19 games before being declared out for the season in late February. Top free agent addition Paul George appeared in 41 games before he was ruled out for the season in mid-March. Tyrese Maxey was active for 52 games, but he hasn’t played since March 3 due to a sprained finger and probably won’t return this season.

Injury issues affected virtually the entire roster, as Philadelphia got just 40 games out of Andre Drummond, 39 from Eric Gordon and 33 from Kyle Lowry. Rookie guard Jared McCain was lost after 23 games due to a meniscus tear following a promising start.

Tonight marked the Sixers’ 50th different starting lineup in 74 games, notes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel (Twitter link), with Justin Edwards, Guerschon Yabusele, Adem Bona, Quentin Grimes and Jared Butler opening the game.

“It just didn’t seem like the injury bug would ever leave us,” Nurse said. “It just seemed like every time we’d have a good game it would cost us a player or two for the next one. We never could build any momentum.”

The good news for the Sixers is that tonight’s defeat, combined with Brooklyn’s win, drops them a half-game behind the Nets and gives them the fifth-worst record in the league. Philadelphia’s first-round pick in this year’s draft is top-six protected and will convey to Oklahoma City if it falls outside that range.

The 23-51 Sixers have now dropped seven straight and 24 of their last 28. Five of their final eight games are against teams under .500, starting with Sunday’s home contest against Toronto.

Sixers Center Andre Drummond To Miss At Least Five More Games

March 29th, 2025 at 6:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

Andre Drummond, who has been sidelined since March 12 with a sprained left toe, will miss at least five more games before being reevaluated in a week, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

Given how little time is left in the season and the Sixers‘ position near the bottom of the standings, it seems likely that Drummond’s year could be finished. Philadelphia will only have four games remaining after his reevaluation and needs to protect its first-round draft pick, which will convey to Oklahoma City if it falls outside the top six.

The 31-year-old center signed a two-year contract last summer with the expectation of serving as a backup to Joel Embiid on a title-contending team. However, injuries to Embiid and nearly every other rotation player destroyed the Sixers’ season and left them currently with the sixth-worst record in the league at 23-50.

Drummond has experienced his own injury issues, primarily with the toe, as he’s been limited to 40 games in his 13th NBA season. He’s averaging 7.3 points and 7.8 rebounds in 18.8 minutes per night while shooting 50% from the field.

Drummond’s contract includes a $5MM player option for next season, with a decision due by June 29. He may be able to find a better offer on the open market, but the Sixers could be motivated to offer a new deal if he declines the option, considering Embiid’s continued fragility.

Sixers Notes: Grimes, Yabusele, Butler, Nurse, Injury Report

March 18th, 2025 at 5:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Quentin Grimes, a trade deadline acquisition, continues to shine for the Sixers. The combo guard — a restricted free agent after this season — erupted for a career-high 46 points against the Rockets in an overtime loss on Monday. Grimes, who also finished with a career-best 13 rebounds, has scored 30 or more points in five separate games since coming to Philadelphia.

“It’s cool,” Grimes told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “But I had a costly turnover that cost us the game late in the fourth. I have to be better in those situations, probably on the ball, try to get fouled. It’s cool and all, but we probably should have just ended the game, ended it with a win.”

We have more on the Sixers:

While they have been decimated by injuries, big man Guerschon Yabusele has continued to play despite battling knee soreness. Yabusele sat out Monday’s game, but he’s appeared in 62 of 68 games and has served as a few of the few constants in Philadelphia this season. “That’s just who I am,” he told Pompey. “I always try to keep playing no matter what. You know that’s just me. I just want to compete. I want to be out there and help the guys. I hate just being on the bench and looking at the guys over there, struggling or losing. It’s something I don’t like to be a part of.” Yabusele has some extra incentive to stay on the court — he will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
The Sixers had only nine players available on Monday, yet nearly knocked off one of the better teams in the Western Conference. “I think it’s just outside of our nature to go out there and try to lose,” guard Jared Butler said, per Pompey. ”I can’t see myself playing like that in any kind of way.”
While some fans might be unhappy with head coach Nick Nurse, he shouldn’t be the scapegoat for the team’s dismal season, Pompey argues. Nurse has been forced to juggle the rotation throughout the season due to the rash of injuries, using 44 different starting lineups, Pompey points out.
Kelly Oubre Jr. is doubtful for Wednesday’s game against the Thunder due to a sprained right knee, Pompey tweets. Yabusele is questionable, while Tyrese Maxey, Andre Drummond, Adem Bona, Kyle Lowry and Lonnie Walker remain out.
In case you missed it, Paul George has been ruled out for the season. Get the details here.

Sixers Notes: Walker, Maxey, Martin, Reese

March 10th, 2025 at 8:04am CST by Arthur Hill

Lonnie Walker turned in his best game since joining the Sixers last month, coming off the bench Sunday with 25 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in a win over Utah. After being waived by Boston just before the start of the season, the 26-year-old shooting guard spent time with Zalgiris Kaunas in the EuroLeague while awaiting his next NBA opportunity. After Sunday’s game, he talked about how he benefited from that experience, according to BasketNews.

“There are a lot of factors people don’t consider, like your mental state, your physical state, and how you’re feeling,” Walker said. “There was a seven- or eight-hour time difference to adjust to, but also playing at a completely different level of basketball, with a different style of play. Understanding new plays and learning how the team plays was part of the process.”

Walker has a chance to revive his NBA career in Philadelphia, which is his third team in the last three years after he spent his first four NBA seasons in San Antonio. He played 34 minutes Sunday night and figures to be part of the rotation for the rest of the season.

During his time away from the league, Walker gained an appreciation for the style of basketball being played in Europe.

“Most definitely,” he said. “Don’t get it twisted, the EuroLeague is a beautiful league. The passion and the way the game is played over there is special. But I definitely have a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to return to the best league in the world and showcase my abilities.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

Coach Nick Nurse told reporters before the game that he plans to monitor the minutes of Andre Drummond, Guerschon Yabusele and Kelly Oubre, who all saw limited action on Sunday, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey notes that they’re the only three rotation players from the start of the season that were active on Sunday. Nurse also provided an update on Tyrese Maxey, who’s sidelined with a lower back strain, saying the star guard “did some on-court work today,” but remains questionable for Monday’s game against Atlanta.
KJ Martin returned to Philadelphia on Sunday for the first time since being traded last month in a cost-cutting move, per Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. Martin said he enjoyed his time with the Sixers and regrets that a stress reaction in his foot interrupted what could have been a productive season. “I had a great time this year,” he said. “Philly will always have a place in my heart for sure.”
Alex Reese had six points and nine rebounds in 15 minutes in his first significant playing time of the season, Aaronson adds. The two-way forward said he’s been able to develop his game during his time with the Sixers and the team’s G League affiliate in Delaware. “It’s been good in both places,” Reese said. “Here and in Delaware, both teams have welcomed me. They’ve taught me a lot so far, pointed me in the right directions… I’m enjoying it and grateful to be here.”