Andre Drummond Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Health Updates: Harden, Durant, Drummond, More

April 1st, 2021 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets announced today that James Harden, who left Wednesday’s game with hamstring tightness, has also been ruled out for Thursday’s contest vs. Charlotte. However, according to Shams Charania of Stadium (video link), the injury isn’t considered to be serious, and Harden will be day-to-day going forward.

Harden’s teammate, Kevin Durant, has been dealing with a more serious hamstring issue, having not played at all since February 13. But Charania says Durant is “closing in” on a return to action, adding that if this were the postseason, the star forward would already be playing. Durant still isn’t expected back until possibly sometime next week.

Meanwhile, Blake Griffin will rest on the second night of a back-to-back for injury management purposes, but the Nets will have their other buyout-market addition, LaMarcus Aldridge, available on Thursday for the first time, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

Here are a few more health updates from around the NBA:

Andre Drummond‘s debut with the Lakers didn’t exactly go as planned. The veteran center left the game with a right toe bruise, a diagnosis that understated how painful the injury was, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes. “I didn’t really think anything of it,” Drummond said, referring to a play where Brook Lopez stepped on his foot. “I came back in the second quarter and it was hurting a little bit more. And then after halftime, I finally took my sock off to look and my whole toenail was gone. So, it was just all bad from there. I couldn’t walk or run. So I just told Coach (Frank Vogel) to take me out.” Drummond is considered day-to-day.
Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova has yet to appear in a game this season due to a concussion and an appendectomy, but that may change on Thursday. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said on Wednesday that Dellavedova is close to being ready, and that he’s hopeful of a “Delly sighting” against Philadelphia, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
Suns big man Frank Kaminsky isn’t injured, but he’s on the shelf for now after being placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.
As we relayed earlier today, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will remain sidelined through at least mid-April.

Lakers Notes: Drummond, Gasol, Open Roster Spot

March 30th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

New Lakers center Andre Drummond will make his debut for his new team on Wednesday vs. Milwaukee, he said today, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic (Twitter link). League sources told Buha that Drummond is expected to slide into the starting lineup, displacing incumbent starter Marc Gasol, and head coach Frank Vogel confirmed as much today (Twitter link).

Despite some leaguewide speculation that Drummond’s arrival could lead to a buyout of Gasol, the Spaniard is unlikely to be waived, Buha writes in the same story. Vogel also confirmed that today, telling reporters that the club hasn’t spoken to Gasol about a possible buyout (Twitter link). The Lakers’ coach praised the 36-year-old for handling Drummond’s arrival like a “true pro” (Twitter link).

While Vogel said this week that the Lakers anticipate using Drummond, Gasol, and Montrezl Harrell, there likely won’t be enough minutes to go around for everyone, especially when everyone is healthy, and Gasol looks like the probable odd man out, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

After sitting out for nearly a month-and-a-half, Drummond told reporters on Monday that he can’t wait to return to action, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “You can imagine the hunger and excitement I have to play and step on the court,” Drummond said. “I had an incredible month of work where I’m ready to play today.” The big man added that his goal is to “cause havoc in the paint” and that he believes he can further solidify a unit that already ranks first in the NBA in defensive efficiency.
Having signed Drummond to fill their 14th roster spot, the Lakers want to add a three-and-D wing to fill their final opening, according to Jovan Buha and Jared Weiss of The Athletic. It’s not clear which players the Lakers may be targeting, as there aren’t many current free agents who can reliably produce on both ends of the court.
Lakers owner Jeanie Buss said on Stephen A.’s World on ESPN+ on Monday that she welcomes the Nets’ efforts to load up their roster and knock off the defending-champion Lakers. “It brings out the best in us,” Buss said, per Royce Young of ESPN. “When teams identify us as the team to beat and they gear up to go at us head-to-head, that makes us work harder. So, bring it on.”
Earlier today, we relayed a report on Dennis Schröder‘s extension talks with the Lakers and broke down the point guard’s contract situation.

Fischer’s Latest: Mavs, Fournier, Rockets, Drummond, Gasol

March 30th, 2021 at 11:28am CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks ended up making just one relatively modest move at the trade deadline, acquiring J.J. Redick and Nicolo Melli in a trade with New Orleans. However, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, that deal may have been a fail-safe option for Dallas as the team explored other options leading up to last Thursday afternoon.

As Fischer explains, the Mavericks also explored a trade that would have sent James Johnson and two second-round pick to Orlando in a package for Evan Fournier. The Magic ultimately chose a similar offer from Boston that allowed them to create a $17MM+ trade exception instead of taking back a matching salary like Johnson’s.

The Mavericks also spoke to the Rockets about Victor Oladipo, sources tell Fischer, but those talks didn’t gain momentum.

Here’s more from Fischer:

During the James Harden trade talks earlier in the year, the Rockets never projected much interest in hanging onto Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert as part of that deal, Fischer says. Houston didn’t view Allen as a long-term frontcourt fit alongside Christian Wood and wanted to roll the dice on Oladipo recapturing his All-NBA form, a gamble that didn’t work out.
Fischer lists the Raptors, Bulls, Mavericks, Clippers, Celtics, Heat, Hornets, Nets, Knicks, and Lakers as teams that showed some level of interest in Cavaliers center Andre Drummond before he was bought out, but none of those clubs could ultimately put together a package that matched the big man’s $28.75MM salary and also appealed to Cleveland. After he was bought out, Drummond was intrigued by the Celtics and spoke to Boston point guard (and fellow UConn alum) Kemba Walker, but ultimately decided to sign with the Lakers.
With Drummond now in Los Angeles, some executives are wondering whether the Lakers will consider buying out Marc Gasol, per Fischer. “When they get fully healthy, it’s gonna be a logjam,” one assistant GM said, referring to a frontcourt that also features big men Anthony Davis and Montrezl Harrell, along with power forwards LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma. It’s worth noting Gasol has a second guaranteed year on his contract, though it’s only worth the minimum.

Holmes, Drummond Among Hornets’ Potential Offseason Targets

March 30th, 2021 at 10:06am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets sought to upgrade their center at last week’s trade deadline, expressing interest in a number of big men on the trade market, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

As Fischer details, Charlotte was eyeing Andre Drummond, but couldn’t reach an agreement with the Cavaliers on a viable trade, then lost out to the Lakers on the buyout market. In addition to Drummond, the Hornets also expressed interest in veteran centers such as Myles Turner, Montrezl Harrell, and Richaun Holmes, sources tell Fischer.

A previous report indicated that the Pacers and Hornets discussed a trade involving Turner and P.J. Washington during the 2020 offseason, and Fischer says Charlotte revisited those talks at last week’s deadline, exploring a deal centered around Turner, Washington, and Cody Zeller‘s expiring contract. However, the team had no luck.

Having not addressed the center position via trade, the Hornets figure to be on the lookout for a big man this summer when Zeller’s and Bismack Biyombo‘s contracts expire, and Fischer identifies Holmes and Drummond as two players likely to be on Charlotte’s radar. Both players will be unrestricted free agents after the season.

Holmes is under contract at a bargain price ($5MM) for the rest of 2020/21, but could seek upwards of $20MM per year in free agency, according to Fischer. Meanwhile, league executives polled by Bleacher Report estimate that Drummond’s next deal could look something like Steven Adams‘ two-year, $35MM extension with New Orleans. The Hornets talked to Drummond following his buyout from Cleveland, and the 27-year-old was intrigued by the idea of playing with LaMelo Ball, says Fischer.

Charlotte has the ability to open up some cap room this offseason, though that space would be extremely limited if the team extends Malik Monk a qualifying offer and keeps his $16MM+ cap hold on its books. Monk is in the midst of a career year, but his name was involved in the trade conversations the Hornets had for Harrell and Holmes, per Fischer.

If it’s the simplest path to creating the room necessary to sign one of this summer’s top free agent centers, the Hornets could be willing to make Monk unrestricted. Re-signing him to a deal worth less than his cap hold would be another path to generating a little flexibility.

Atlantic Notes: Aldridge, Durant, Drummond, Williams

March 29th, 2021 at 10:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LaMarcus Aldridge will get the opportunity to start for the Nets, according to coach Steve Nash, ESPN’s Malika Andrews tweets. Aldridge signed with the Nets after reaching a buyout with the Spurs and clearing waivers. Aldridge is expected to sit out for two to four games as he ramps up his on-court activity after not playing since March 1. Aldridge would presumably challenge DeAndre Jordan for the starting center spot.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Nets continue to take a very cautious approach with Kevin Durant, Andrews writes. Nash said he doubts Durant will play this week as he continues to recover from a left hamstring strain. He hasn’t played since February 13. Reserve guard Landry Shamet, who’s dealing with an ankle sprain, is also unlikely to play this week, Andrews adds.
Andre Drummond might have received ample playing time with the Knicks but he had already decided to join the Lakers before Mitchell Robinson broke his foot on Saturday, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. The Knicks didn’t make a strong run at Drummond, even after Robinson was injured, because Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t lobby hard for the former Cavaliers center. There was a general sense that Drummond would be unhappy in New York unless he started.
The biggest winner in the aftermath of the Celtics’ moves prior to the trade deadline is young center Robert Williams, A. Sherrod Blakely of the Boston Sports Journal writes. Fans have been clamoring to see more of Williams and they’ll get their wish now that Daniel Theis has been dealt to Chicago. Williams played 32 minutes against New Orleans on Monday.

Cap/Cash Notes: Warriors, Drummond, Clippers, Rockets, More

March 29th, 2021 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

When the Warriors traded Marquese Chriss to the Spurs and Brad Wanamaker to the Hornets at the trade deadline, they included cash in both deals. By moving Chriss’ $1.82MM cap hit and Wanamaker’s $2.25MM salary off their books, Golden State will generate substantial tax savings, which will outweigh the cash they gave up in the two trades.

As a result, the Warriors didn’t mind sending $1.85MM to the Spurs along with Chriss, per Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link), and $2.2MM to the Hornets with Wanamaker, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic.

Teams are limited to sending out no more than $5.62MM in cash in 2020/21 trades, so the Warriors will be limited to about $1.57MM at the draft. Their yearly limit will reset once the new league year begins, so if Golden State reaches a draft-day trade that involves more than $1.57MM in outgoing cash, it’s a safe bet the team will wait until the 2021/22 league year starts to officially finalize it.

Here are a few more leftover cap-related notes from Marks and Hollinger on trades and buyouts:

Andre Drummond will earn the prorated veteran’s minimum of $794,536 on his new deal with the Lakers, which is – not coincidentally – the exact amount he gave up in his buyout with the Cavaliers, says ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). Marks notes that the Lakers still have enough room under the hard cap to sign a 15th player.
The Clippers sent $2.75MM to the Kings in the Mfiondu Kabengele salary dump and $1.25MM to the Hawks in the Rajon Rondo trade, reports Hollinger.
The Rockets took in Avery Bradley‘s $5.64MM salary using part of the traded player exception created in the James Harden trade, allowing them to generate a larger TPE for Victor Oladipo, says Hollinger. That means, instead of having a $10.65MM TPE that expires early next season and a $2.77MM that expires at next season’s deadline, Houston has TPEs worth $5.02MM and $8.18MM. You can see more details here.
Gorgui Dieng gave up $699,952 in a buyout with the Grizzlies, according to Hollinger. That’s the exact amount the big man would have earned on a minimum-salary deal if he officially signed with the Spurs on Wednesday, but he completed his deal with San Antonio today, so it’ll be worth $729,737.
That leaves LaMarcus Aldridge as the only player to give up significantly more than his prorated minimum in a post-deadline buyout. As Hollinger explains, the discrepancy between the reported amounts of Aldridge’s buyout was due to escrow. Aldridge gave up $7.25MM in his agreement with the Spurs, which will work out to $5.8MM after factoring in the league’s escrow cut.

Lakers Sign Andre Drummond

March 28th, 2021 at 8:17pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

8:17pm: The Lakers have officially signed Andre Drummond, the team announced on social media.

12:54pm: Coveted free agent center Andre Drummond plans to sign with the reigning champion Lakers after he clears waivers today at 4 pm CT, his agent Jeff Schwartz has informed Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

As we relayed yesterday, Woj previously reported that the Lakers were a “strong frontrunner” to ink the veteran big man. Drummond also met with the Celtics, a club in the market for a Daniel Theis replacement after moving their starting center in a cost-cutting deal.

The 6’10” Drummond, a two-time All-Star during his tenure with the Pistons, should immediately get the starting nod ahead of erratic current starter Marc Gasol and undersized reserve center Montrezl Harrell, Woj noted in a since-updated story previewing Drummond’s interest in the Lakers yesterday.

After spending portions of two seasons in Cleveland, Drummond reached a buyout agreement on Friday with the Cavaliers, who are prioritizing young new center Jarrett Allen. Across 25 games with the Cavs this season, Drummond averaged 17.5 PPG and 13.5 RPG.

Given the Lakers’ salary situation, the deal can only be at the veteran’s minimum this year. But a starting nod and robust rebounding numbers on a club expected to contend for a repeat title could be a terrific opportunity for the 27-year-old Drummond to prove his mettle and make a case for a longer-term contract this summer.

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report observes (via Twitter) that there is “not a real obvious path” to an ample future long-term agreement with the Lakers. The team will have Drummond’s Non-Bird rights at season’s end, but the ability to offer a raise using those rights will be extremely limited.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Central Notes: Pistons, Karnišovas, Drummond, Portis

March 28th, 2021 at 2:33pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

In trading away Delon Wright to the Kings (and receiving veteran point guard Cory Joseph and two second-rounders in return), the Pistons have opened up playing time for their still-developing collective of young guards, writes Rod Beard of the Detroit News.

“We like our young pieces and we’re getting guys back healthy here soon, so it’s going to be a lot of opportunities for guys to come out and compete — and that’s what we’re doing; we’re not just rolling the ball out there,” head coach Dwane Casey said of the post-deadline Pistons. “Guys have to do their job on the offensive end and the defensive end develop winning habits.”

The 12-33 Pistons are currently the bottom seed in the Eastern Conference, and in moving on from established veterans like Wright, Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin this season, they have clearly exhibited their commitment to developing the youth around star forward Jerami Grant.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Bulls team president Artūras Karnišovas discussed Chicago’s very active trade deadline that saw the team add All-Star center Nikola Vucevic and others, and his hopes for the team to become a free agent destination, as K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes. “We’re not done (improving the team),” Karnišovas said. “We’re going to keep improving our quality of play. And then keep adding pieces to what this team is going to look like in the future.”
Before ultimately agreeing to a buyout with veteran center Andre Drummond, the Cavaliers talked to the Mavericks and Raptors about potential trades for the former two-time All-Star’s expiring $28.7MM contract, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The Cavs were ultimately unable to find a deal that made sense.
Bucks reserve big man Bobby Portis has been sidelined since Milwaukee’s game Friday against the Celtics as a result of the league’s COVID-19 protocols, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Lakers “Strong Frontrunner” To Sign Andre Drummond

March 27th, 2021 at 6:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers are considered a “strong frontrunner” to sign center Andre Drummond when he clears waivers, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The team’s star players have been trying to convince Drummond to join them and he is close to making a decision, according to sources (Twitter link).

Drummond finalized a buyout with the Cavaliers on Friday and will officially clear waivers on Sunday evening.

The Lakers can’t give Drummond more than the veteran’s minimum, but they have a starting job to offer as well as a chance to compete for a title. He has only been to the playoffs twice in his nine NBA seasons.

Drummond met recently with the Celtics, who are also a contender for his services. Boston is in the market for help at center after trading Daniel Theis on Thursday.

The Knicks pulled out of the Drummond sweepstakes, deciding against getting into a bidding war, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. With $15MM in cap space, New York is in position to make Drummond the best offer, but the Knicks have decided to use those resources elsewhere.

Berman states that team officials have been watching film on Drummond to determine how he would fit alongside Julius Randle and whether he would be worth the investment if it means taking Mitchell Robinson out of the starting lineup. The Knicks decided they’re set at center with Robinson, Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson providing a solid defensive presence.

New York could still be active on the buyout market, a source tells Berman. Point guard Jeff Teague, who was waived today by the Magic, played for Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota. Other names to watch are small forward Otto Porter, who was traded to the Magic on Thursday and still remains with the team, and center Gorgui Dieng, who was waived Friday by the Grizzlies.

Celtics Meet With Andre Drummond

March 27th, 2021 at 1:01pm CST by JD Shaw

The Celtics have emerged as a contender to watch in the pursuit of center Andre Drummond, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times (Twitter link).

Drummond reached a buyout agreement with the Cavaliers on Friday, which allows him to officially become a free agent on Sunday once he clears waivers. Boston met with the 27-year-old following his release, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (as relayed by Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports).

The Celtics traded away starting center Daniel Theis on deadline day and could pitch a strong role to Drummond, though teams such as the Lakers are expected to provide competition for his services. Boston started third-year player Robert Williams III at center in its game against Milwaukee on Friday.

Drummond averaged 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 28.9 minutes in 25 games with the Cavaliers this season. Other teams such as the Clippers, Nets, Knicks and Hornets could also entice the veteran as he looks to set himself up for free agency this year.