Andre Drummond Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Cavs Notes: Drummond, Trade Partners, Defense, Love

February 15th, 2021 at 8:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Cavaliers would prefer not to take bad contracts with multiple years remaining in a potential Andre Drummond deal. However, they’re open-minded to that possibility if an asset is included that would justify a restricted future cap, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. The front office would otherwise like to protect cap space with extensions for Collin Sexton and Jarrett Allen on the horizon.

Cleveland has received calls on Drummond, as well as Allen and JaVale McGee, but it is not interested in dealing Allen. Fedor explores potential trade partners for Drummond and what those deals could include.

We have more on the Cavaliers:

Spencer Davies of Basketball News also speculates where Drummond, an impending unrestricted free agent after the season, could be dealt. The Raptors, Mavericks, Knicks and Kings could be among the teams in the mix if a trade is completed, while the Nets would be the front-runner if Drummond winds up on the buyout market.
Drummond didn’t play on Sunday, but that didn’t solve any problems as the Cavaliers lost for the ninth time in 10 games. They were overwhelmed by a Clippers team playing without stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, demonstrating that the team’s issues go far deeper than Drummond, Fedor writes. The Cavs’ overall effort has been lacking, especially at the defensive end. “I think defensively we need to be better,” Cedi Osman said. “I mean, it’s just not enough, especially against these types of teams. We have to play harder.”
Kevin Love has been making progress from the right calf strain that has kept him out since December 27 and coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the team could desperately use his veteran presence and scoring prowess, Fedor notes in a separate story. “There’s times in games when you can see ‘This is where Kevin would help us’ or ‘This is where he would help settle us in. I know right now he’d get a foul because we’re in the bonus.’ There’s those moments where you see,” Bickerstaff said.

Cavs Plan To Sit Andre Drummond As They Pursue Trade

February 15th, 2021 at 10:06am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers are planning to keep Andre Drummond on the bench as they work on finding a trade destination for the veteran center, according to Adrian Wojnarowsi and Brian Windorst of ESPN. As ESPN’s duo explains, Jarrett Allen is considered the Cavs’ center of the future and the team believes it’s unfair to Drummond to limit his minutes as the transition to Allen takes place.

According to Wojnarowski and Windhorst, general manager Koby Altman discussed the decision with Drummond and his agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports. While Schwartz wouldn’t confirm or deny ESPN’s report, he offered the following statement:

“Whichever direction this goes, Andre is 27, in his prime, and I believe strongly that he has a great deal to add to a team building toward a postseason run.”

Drummond was ruled out of Sunday’s game for “rest” purposes, but sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic that the center sat on Sunday in part due to his recent “attitude and play.” Charania adds that head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has had multiple sit-down discussions with the 27-year-old, who has been frustrated by the Cavaliers’ recent slump.

According to Charania, the Raptors and Cavs are engaging in trade discussions about Drummond. However, a deal could take a while to come together as Toronto and Cleveland navigate through cap-related challenges and the possibility of incorporating other teams, so nothing is imminent.

Wojnarowski tweets that, while Cleveland is gauging the Drummond market, there are no “serious” ongoing talks taking place. Addressing the Raptors possibility specifically, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca confirms (via Twitter) that Toronto has interest, but says discussions have only been exploratory and notes that matching Drummond’s $28.75MM salary would be difficult.

Other teams, including the Nets and Mavericks, would have interest in Drummond if he’s bought out, sources tell The Athletic. It’s unclear how many clubs besides Toronto would be interested in pursuing the big man via trade.

Cleveland’s obvious preference would be to avoid a buyout, especially since the team remains in the hunt for an Eastern Conference playoff spot and wouldn’t want to essentially hand Drummond to a conference rival for nothing, Charania writes. No buyout discussions have taken place to this point, sources tell ESPN.

Meanwhile, Drummond may not be the only Cavs center who is traded prior to the March 25 deadline. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reports that the club has received trade offers for all of its centers, though only Drummond and JaVale McGee are considered available — Allen isn’t going anywhere.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Raptors Notes: Watanabe, Lowry, Drummond, G League

February 8th, 2021 at 3:56pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Raptors forward Yuta Watanabe has been able to eke out a consistent rotational role with Toronto this season, as Doug Smith of The Toronto Star details. Watanabe, who went undrafted in 2018 out of George Washington University, spent two seasons on a two-way deal with the Grizzlies before joining the Raptors at the start of the 2020/21 season. Watanabe is averaging 12.2 MPG with the club, converting 42.9% of his 1.6 three-point attempts.

All-Star teammate Kyle Lowry hailed the 6’9″ wing’s contributions: “He’s going to dive for loose balls, and he’s going to be at the right spot, and he’s going to give you everything (he’s) got. He just plays with an extreme hardness.”

Smith notes that Watanabe, currently on a two-way contract with Toronto, is likely to see his deal converted to a full NBA contract within the next month.

There’s more out of Toronto:

Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report wonders if Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry‘s charmed tenure with Toronto may be wrapping up soon. “There’s a time capsule for everybody and everything,” one Western Conference executive said, “and it’s probably just time to move on.” Lowry signed a one-year, $30.5MM extension with Toronto that will make him an unrestricted free agent at the end of the current 2020/21 season. Though he has been his reliably excellent self, the team has stumbled out of the gate to a 10-13 record and the No. 9 seed in the East. Fischer points to several teams who could benefit from the still-productive lead guard’s services this season, including the Heat, Clippers, Pelicans and Magic.
After the Raptors’ title-winning frontcourt tandem of Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol fled for championship-caliber rosters in sunny Los Angeles during the offseason, the club could still be mulling ways to fortify its center position. Sources tell The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor that the Raptors are among the teams interested in adding Cavaliers center Andre Drummond, currently earning $28.8MM this season on an expiring deal.
The Raptors are sending rookies Malachi Flynn and Jalen Harris to the NBAGL’s Orlando “bubble” campus to get some extended development this season. Doug Smith of The Toronto Star previews their upcoming adventure with Toronto’s G League affiliate, Raptors 905.

Nets Notes: Pelle, Shamet, Irving, Drummond

February 7th, 2021 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Center Norvel Pelle played just 17 minutes before fouling out Saturday in his first game with the Nets, but he showed how he can help the team as a rim protector, writes Alex Schiffer of The Athletic. Pelle, who had to wait through a seven-day quarantine after signing last week, blocked three shots during his short stint. Coach Steve Nash expects better things once Pelle works through conditioning issues.

“He’s out of shape a little bit for NBA standards,” Nash said. “You could see him out there. I was proud of him for fighting through, trying to get his legs and his lungs going. He obviously has some instincts blocking shots, which is I think his reputation and why we looked at him. I was proud of the way he conducted himself and worked hard.”

Iman Shumpert, the Nets’ other free agent addition, didn’t play at all Saturday, and Nash isn’t sure when he’ll make his debut. He also had to quarantine and won’t participate in his first practice with the team until Monday.

There’s more from Brooklyn:

Landry Shamet seems to have rediscovered his shot and could be a valuable scoring option off the bench, Schiffer adds in the same story. He’s averaging 12 PPG and shooting 40% from 3-point range in his last five games. “Just change a few things mentally, stay solid, simplify,” Shamet said of breaking out of a slump. “It’s not the end of the world. It’s basketball. It’s just knowing what I’m capable of and knowing that I’m doing everything I’m supposed to be doing, working hard, taking care of my body, doing everything I’m supposed to be doing. It’s mostly mental.”
Kyrie Irving‘s sprained finger isn’t expected to be a long-term concern, according to Greg Joyce of The New York Post. Irving missed Saturday’s game and is being considered day-to-day. “(Irving) genuinely has a swollen finger and took a knock to it (Friday),” Nash said. “So hopefully it’s day-to-day. I think everybody’s proceeding as it is.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is the latest media figure to comment on the possibility of the Nets acquiring Cavaliers center Andre Drummond after a buyout. On Friday’s pre-game show, Wojnarowski said Drummond might be willing to take a buyout if the Cavs don’t trade him by the March 25 deadline. He suggests the Nets could offer Cleveland Spencer Dinwiddie, who is out for the season with an ACL injury, but other teams are also interested in the 27-year-old guard.

Cavaliers Notes: Drummond, Garland, Sexton, Attendance

February 5th, 2021 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Andre Drummond may not be part of the Cavaliers‘ long-term future, but any talk of a buyout is “nonsensical” while the team remains in the playoff race, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Several media outlets brought up the possibility last week, with Zach Harper of The Athletic calling it “just a matter of time.” However, the Cavs have little to gain by giving up their starting center, who is averaging a career-best 18.2 PPG this season while leading the league in rebounds at 14.6 RPG.

Drummond has an expiring $28.75MM contract, and the Cavaliers recently acquired 22-year-old Jarrett Allen, who will eventually take his place. While a trade remains a strong possibility before the March 25 deadline, Cleveland may opt to keep Drummond if the team can’t find an acceptable offer and try to get its young players some postseason experience.

“I know we live in the era of the 3-point shot, but at the same time when you go back and study the numbers, teams that dominate the paint on both ends are teams that are the most efficient on both ends,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Dre gives you the ability to do those things. The ability to secure possessions from a defensive rebounding standpoint, there’s no one better in our league who can do that. That helps your defense immensely.”

There’s more from Cleveland:

Bickerstaff is encouraged by the level of determination from Darius Garland, who is off to a strong start after a a tough rookie year, Fedor adds in the same story. After a rough road trip last weekend, Garland watched videotape with the assistant coaches to determine why he was committing turnovers. “When you’re facilitating the ball and you’re making everybody better and making everybody feel like they’re a part of it, and then when you’re able to make those daggers, your status grows,” Bickerstaff said. “I think that’s where Darius is headed.“
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was still with the Cavaliers when they drafted Collin Sexton in 2018, and he’s not surprised that the young guard became a star so quickly, Fedor writes in a separate piece. Sexton is averaging 24.3 PPG in his third NBA season and ranks seventh among Eastern Conference guards in the first round of All-Star voting. “From summer league of his first year to when we got to preseason to the six games that I coached, his shot got better and better,” Lue said. “Now he’s really shooting the basketball well from midrange and from 3, so he’s really improved that. Scoring the basketball was his thing when he came out of college and he’s doing it at a high level right now.”
The Cavaliers have been granted a request to increase the number of fans for home games, Fedor notes in another story. The state of Ohio has approved allowing 2,720 spectators, which is 14% of capacity for Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Central Division

January 29th, 2021 at 9:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Throughout the season, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents this off-season. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we take a look at players from the Central Division:

Wayne Ellington, Pistons, 33, SG (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $2.56MM deal in 2020

What has gotten into Ellington? Signed to add some depth at the shooting guard spot, Ellington has emerged as a starter and is on the hottest 3-point roll of his career. He’s knocked down at least four long balls and scored at least 16 points in each of the last seven games. Overall, he’s averaging a career-best 13.4 PPG in 24.2 MPG while making 53.2% of his 3-point attempts. Obviously, he’s not going to sustain this pace but at the least, Ellington has shown he can still help a team with his perimeter shooting.

Andre Drummond, Cavaliers, 27, C (Up) – Signed to a five-year, $127.2MM deal in 2016

Sometimes people tend to dwell on a player’s shortcomings and forget about the positives. The Pistons basically gave away Drummond to a division rival last February to clear cap space. Yes, he can’t shoot from outside and he’s brutal at the foul line but what’s so bad about having the best rebounder on the planet on your side? Drummond is averaging a career-high 18.9 PPG with the aid of two young guards breaking down defenses. With the addition of Jarrett Allen, he’s probably not in the Cavs’ long-term plans. He’s not a max player but Drummond is still one of the league’s top big men and he’ll get a strong multi-year contract despite his flaws.

Tomas Satoransky, Bulls, 29, PG/SG (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $30MM deal in 2019

Chicago has an interesting dilemma with Satoransky following the season if it’s unable to move him in a trade. His $10MM salary for next season is 50% guaranteed. The Bulls would have to eat $5MM in dead money to cut him loose but Satoransky’s status with the organization has fallen. He was once viewed as its potential solution at point guard. Right now, he’s struggling just to stay in the rotation. If he winds up in the free agent market, Satornasky won’t be viewed as more than a second-unit option.

Bobby Portis, Bucks, 25, PF (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $7.4MM deal in 2020

Portis has a $3.8MM player option on his contract for next season. The way he’s playing, he’ll certainly decline it and take his chances on the free agent market. Portis has been a solid addition for a title contender, establishing himself as the team’s sixth man. He’s averaging 10.9 PPG and is second on the team in rebounding (7.7 RPG), while his PER ranks third on the team. Portis’ offensive production has dipped some in the last two weeks but he still had a 21-point outing against Atlanta on Sunday.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Atlantic Notes: Drummond, Edwards, Walker, Morey

January 27th, 2021 at 9:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets may be hoping for an Andre Drummond buyout in Cleveland to help solve their center woes, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn has been short-handed in the middle since parting with Jarrett Allen in the James Harden trade. Veteran DeAndre Jordan remains the starter, but depth at the position has become an issue as the Nets have fallen from 11th to 25th in defensive rating since the deal.

Allen and Drummond are part of a crowded frontcourt in Cleveland, along with JaVale McGee and Kevin Love, who have also been mentioned as potential targets for Brooklyn. The Nets parted with a significant amount of their draft capital in the Harden trade, so the buyout market would be ideal. Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer (video link) and Zach Harper of The Athletic both mentioned a possible Drummond buyout this week, with Harper suggesting it’s “just a matter of time.”

Lewis reports that Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks is expected to hold on to at least one of his two available exceptions so he can be aggressive when buyouts begins. Players can be waived as late as April 9 and still be eligible for the postseason with another team.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Celtics guard Carsen Edwards confirmed that the four games his missed earlier this month were because he tested positive for COVID-19, writes Tom Westerholm of Boston.com. “I don’t know what I’m allowed to talk about,” Edwards said. “But I mean, I did test positive, and I had symptoms for a couple of days. But then after that, I was kind of just — I lost my taste and my smell, and then after that, I was quarantined. The first two nights were rough, but after that I was just kind of in quarantine just trying to stay out the way and be healthy and get healthy. But I’m fine now. I feel better.”
The Celtics likely won’t use Kemba Walker in back-to-back games for the rest of the season, relays Conor Roche of Boston.com. Appearing on a radio show this morning, coach Brad Stevens discussed his plans for Walker, who has been on a minutes limit since returning. “We’ll keep his minutes down. I’m not going to play him in the mid-30s (minutes wise) at any point here in the near future,” Stevens said. “It’s all part of a plan that’s not only for the best interest of this team, but also in the best interest of his career here moving forward. As the season goes on and we get into late April, early May, before the playoffs, we’ll ramp him up a little bit.”
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is in quarantine for COVID-19 contact tracing unrelated to the team, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Nets Reportedly Have Interest In JaVale McGee

January 25th, 2021 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets, who are in the market for a veteran center after having traded Jarrett Allen to Cleveland, are said to be eyeing Cavaliers center JaVale McGee, according to a series of reports.

Sam Amico of FortyEightMinutes.com first tweeted that sources expected Brooklyn to pursue a trade for McGee, while Jason Dumas of KRON4 News said today (via Twitter) that the Nets are talking to Cleveland about a possible deal. Brian Lewis of The New York Post also indicated (via Twitter) that he has heard some chatter about the Nets and McGee.

The trade that sent Allen from the Nets to the Cavs left Brooklyn somewhat shorthanded at the five, while Cleveland now has an abundance of options in the middle. Besides DeAndre Jordan, the Nets’ potential fives – Nicolas Claxton, Reggie Perry, and soon-to-be-signed Norvel Pelle – are short on NBA experience. The Cavs, on the other hand, have nine-year veteran Andre Drummond starting at center, with Allen and McGee operating as backups.

As Dumas tweets, the Cavs don’t intend to flip Allen, but they could make Drummond, McGee, and/or power forward Kevin Love available before this season’s trade deadline. Dumas suggests Brooklyn has some interest in Love as well, but it’s hard to imagine how such a deal would work, given his $31MM+ salary and the makeup of the Nets’ roster.

McGee is a more realistic target for Brooklyn — his $4.2MM expiring contract could be absorbed using the Nets’ newly-granted disabled player exception if the team doesn’t want to send out any players to match his salary. The Nets still have multiple open roster spots, so making room on the 15-man squad wouldn’t be an issue either.

The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are expected to seek draft capital for any of the big men they move, per Dumas. Unless they’re willing to take on some unwanted salary, the Cavs probably shouldn’t expect more than a second-round pick for McGee or Drummond.

Central Notes: Donovan, Weaver, Drummond, LeVert

January 16th, 2021 at 1:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The frustration for the Bulls and new head coach Billy Donovan is mounting over their penchant for blowing big leads. Chicago squandered a 10-point cushion in the final two minutes of regulation and lost in overtime on Friday to the Thunder, prompting Donovan to make some pointed comments about his team’s psyche.

“This is a hard-working group. It’s a good group of guys. They want to win,” the Bulls’ coach said, per Royce Young of ESPN. “They don’t know how to. They are learning how to.

The Bulls have committed a league-worst 18.3 turnovers per game and Donovan believes that’s the crux of their problem. “We’ve gotten destroyed in the turnover battle the whole entire year,” he said.

We have more from the Central Division:

New Pistons GM Troy Weaver engineered a number of draft-night trades and wound up with four rookies on the roster. He’s thrilled with all of them, even though lottery pick Killian Hayes struggled as a starter before suffering a hip injury, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart have jumped into the rotation and second-rounder Saben Lee is getting some spot time with Hayes sidelined. “We can debate the player all day long, but we’re not going to debate the person,” Weaver said. “These are high-character guys who work and are selfless. Extremely excited about them.”
Jarrett Allen appears to be the Cavaliers’ main man in the middle after they acquired the restricted free agent from the Nets this week, but they shouldn’t be so quick to give away Andre Drummond, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer opines. Drummond has been highly productive this season, as his 33-point, 23-rebound outing against the Knicks demonstrates. Trading Drummond, an unrestricted free agent after the season, could wind up making the team less competitive.
The Pacers are replacing Victor Oladipo with Caris LeVert in their impending trade with the Rockets. While those guards have similar stats, their skill sets vary greatly. J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star provides a breakdown of their strengths and weaknesses.

Cavaliers Notes: Allen, Prince, Drummond, McGee, Porter Jr.

January 15th, 2021 at 9:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The acquisitions of Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince from the Nets in the multi-trade trade that sent James Harden to Brooklyn accelerated the Cavaliers’ rebuild, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic writes. Acquiring Allen, a restricted free agency, gives the Cavs a long-term answer in the middle if they re-sign him. Prince provides the team with a 3-and-D wing who could also see minutes at power forward.

We have more on the Cavaliers:

Once Allen is in uniform, coach J.B. Bickerstaff will have a pleasant dilemma of finding time at center for him as well as Andre Drummond and JaVale McGee, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes. However, that dilemma may not stretch beyond March’s trade deadline. According to Fedor, shortly after the blockbuster trade, the team received calls on Drummond and McGee, both of whom will be unrestricted free agents after the season. Drummond erupted for 33 points and 23 rebounds against the Knicks on Friday.
Second-year swingman Kevin Porter Jr. rejoined his teammates on the bench for the first time this season on Friday, according to Fedor. Porter hasn’t played or practiced since the season started due to personal reasons. In November, he was arrested after flipping his Mercedes SUV. He was charged with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, a felony, in addition to misdemeanors for driving without a license and marijuana possession. All charges were dropped in December by a grand jury.
After facing the Knicks on Friday, the Cavaliers don’t play again until they host the Nets on Wednesday. Their two games in-between against the Wizards were postponed due to COVID-19 issues within Washington’s team.