Andre Drummond Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pistons Notes: Griffin, DPE, Jackson, Kennard

January 8th, 2020 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

After Blake Griffin opted to undergo surgery on his troublesome left knee, head coach Dwane Casey offered some comments on the power forward’s absence, as Rod Beard of the Detroit News relays (Twitter links).

“It’s like when Rick Pitino said, ‘Larry Bird isn’t walking through that door.’ … Blake Griffin isn’t walking through that door,” Casey said. “…The 25 points, the leadership, the toughness, the presence of Blake — you’re not going to replace that.”

Griffin had been in and out of the Pistons’ lineup for much of the first half due to his nagging knee issues, appearing in just 18 games. Now that the former No. 1 overall pick is sidelined indefinitely, Casey notes that at least there should be more lineup certainty going forward.

“We know the direction right now,” Casey said. “We know what we’re dealing with — it’s not, ‘Is he playing or is he not playing?'”

Here’s more on the Pistons:

If the Pistons expect Griffin to miss the rest of the season, it would make sense for them to request a disabled player exception – which would be worth $9.26MM – before next Wednesday’s application deadline. Detroit likely wouldn’t use that exception to sign a free agent, given the team’s proximity to the tax line, but it could come in handy on the trade market. For instance, if the Pistons trade someone like Derrick Rose or Langston Galloway and take back a player on an expiring contract whose salary fits into the DPE, they’d create a trade exception worth $7.3MM, which could be used in the summer or next season.
Reggie Jackson saw a specialist in Los Angeles and is making progress as he returns from a back injury, Beard tweets. There remains no timeline for Jackson’s return to the court.
There’s also no update on Luke Kennard, Beard adds in another tweet. Two weeks ago, the Pistons indicated that the third-year guard would be re-evaluated on January 7, but it appears he’s still not ready to return from his knee injury.
As we noted on Tuesday within our Griffin story, Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) says one source briefed on Detroit’s efforts to move Andre Drummond expressed confidence that a trade will be made by next month’s deadline.

Chris Crouse contributed to this post.

Blake Griffin Out Indefinitely Following Knee Surgery

January 7th, 2020 at 1:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Blake Griffin has undergone an arthroscopic debridement of his left knee, the Pistons announced today in a press release. According to the team, Griffin will go through an “extended” rehab process, with no timetable set for his return.

The announcement from the club comes just one day after news surfaced that Griffin was visiting a specialist in Los Angeles and considering season-ending surgery. It’s unclear if the procedure he underwent today is the same season-ending one he was reportedly weighing on Monday, but it seems safe to assume he won’t be back in Detroit’s lineup anytime soon.

If it is indeed a long-term injury for Griffin, it may help put the nail in the coffin of the Pistons’ playoff hopes for 2020. After narrowly earning the No. 8 seed a year ago, the team sits at 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 13-24 record. While Griffin has struggled in the 18 games he has played this season, averaging just 15.5 PPG and 4.7 RPG on 35.2% shooting, Detroit was close to .500 (8-10) with him in the lineup. The club has won just five of 19 games without Griffin.

Griffin’s surgery increases the likelihood that the Pistons will be sellers leading up to next month’s trade deadline. Andre Drummond is the club’s biggest trade chip, and Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) says one source briefed on Detroit’s efforts to move the veteran center expressed confidence that a trade will be made by February 6.

As for Griffin, he remains under contract for two more years beyond 2019/20, with a guaranteed $36.8MM cap charge for ’20/21 and a ’21/22 player option worth nearly $39MM. Although the six-time All-Star seems unlikely to go anywhere anytime soon, Detroit could consider moving him in the offseason if he gets healthy and the franchise wants to launch a full-fledged rebuild.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eastern Notes: Simmons, Young, Drummond, Theis

January 6th, 2020 at 8:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers point guard Ben Simmons has stopped taking 3-pointers and coach Brett Brown considers it a personal failure, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps relays. Brown wants Simmons to take at least one long range shot per game but Simmons hasn’t attempted any in the past month.

“Evidently I have failed and it’s something that we’re all mindful of, and this is one of these things that is never going to go away,” Brown said of Simmons, who agreed to a five-year, $170MM extension with the Sixers over the summer. “The attention this has received is remarkable. But I guess i helped fuel it, and I own it, and I’ve got to help him find this, and most importantly, he has to find himself.”

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

The Bulls haven’t given any indication they plan to move power forward Thaddeus Young but his contributions have been limited by a lack of playing time, Sam Smith of the team’s website writes. Young signed a partially-guaranteed three-year, $43.6MM contract with the Bulls over the summer. He’s averaging nine fewer minutes with Chicago than he did last season with Indiana and he’s shooting a career-low 39.5% from the field, in part because he’s taking more 3-pointers.
Getting traded would be the best thing for Pistons center Andre Drummond, Ben Golliver of the Washington Post argues. Detroit is spinning its wheels and its long-term prospects are not promising, since the Pistons are lacking in young talent and don’t have a long-term solution at point guard, Golliver continues. The Pistons have been unwilling to give Drummond a generous extension, so there’s no reason for him to look back if he’s dealt, Golliver adds. Drummond’s name popped up in trade rumors last week.
Big man Daniel Theis has become an invaluable member of the Celtics rotation with key plays he’s made late in games, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston notes. Theis is essentially playing for his contract since his $5MM salary for the 2020/21 season is not guaranteed.

Andre Drummond Hopes To Stay In Detroit

January 5th, 2020 at 5:33pm CST by JD Shaw

Pistons star center Andre Drummond reiterated his desire to stay in Detroit past the February 6 trade deadline, with rumors swirling about whether he could soon be dealt to another team, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com writes.

The Pistons have engaged in trade discussions on a deal centered around Drummond with several teams, including the Hawks, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Saturday. However, no deal is imminent as of now.

“I’m not a quitter, for one,” Drummond said, as relayed by Friedell. “I was never brought up to be a quitter. If I start somewhere, I try to finish there, try to complete the mission, which is to win a championship here [in Detroit]. It will never be me that wants to go anywhere … I love being here. I would love to play here the rest of my career.”

There’s an increasing belief inside and outside the Pistons’ organization that Drummond will be dealt before the trade deadline, according to Wojnarowski. The team is planning for Drummond to decline his $29MM player option for the 2020/21 season and become a free agent on July 1.

“I’ve been dealing with this since the year I signed my contract so the trade rumors will always come around, so this is another year for me,” Drummond said. “It’s always that time of year around January where trade talks come. Nothing’s happened. Obviously, the talks have started, so these questions will start to come. I’ve been looking forward to them coming, but for me, I’m just going to continue to play the game I play, play here in Detroit where I love to be, and whatever happens, happens.”

The Pistons have been derailed by injuries this season, currently owning the fifth-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 13-23.

Drummond, 26, was drafted No. 9 overall in 2012 and is in his eighth campaign with the team. He’s averaged 17.5 points, 15.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 34 games so far this year.

Community Shootaround: Andre Drummond

January 3rd, 2020 at 6:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons center Andre Drummond could be the biggest name on the free agent market this summer. Right now, he’s the biggest name on the trading block.

The Hawks are reportedly in discussions to acquire the league’s leading rebounder. A separate report also named the Celtics, Mavericks and Raptors as potential suitors for Drummond’s services.

The trade talk makes sense from Detroit’s perspective. In the midst of a disappointing, injury-riddled season, the Pistons need to seriously consider hitting the reset button. Owner Tom Gores told reporters on Thursday that the front office needed to reassess its approach to make the franchise a serious contender.

The Hawks possess two things that a rebuilding club covets — expiring contracts and draft picks. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski indicated that the lottery-protected pick the Nets owe the Hawks is one of the items on the table. Atlanta also has three large expiring contracts — Chandler Parsons, Allen Crabbe and Evan Turner — and could use one of those to facilitate a trade.

Drummond holds a $28.75MM option on the final year of his contract and is expected to opt out this summer, which waters down his trade value.

The Hawks could take a look at Drummond and see how he fits around their young core of Trae Young, John Collins and Kevin Huerter. The Young-Drummond pick-and-roll combo could be quite formidable. If both parties like what they see, Drummond could re-sign with the club in July.

Drummond could also be the piece that turns a marginal contender into a serious one and a serious contender into a champion. He would be a major upgrade in the middle for Boston but it’s unknown what GM Danny Ainge would give up to rent Drummond. The Celtics have two extra first-rounders with some protections from Memphis and Milwaukee. The Pistons would likely want the Grizzlies pick as the centerpiece of a deal with the Celtics.

Drummond could be an interesting fit with Dallas next to Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavericks have Courtney Lee‘s expiring $12.76MM contract to dangle but don’t have any extra first-round picks to toss in.

The Raptors could trade either of their two large expiring contracts — Marc Gasol or Serge Ibaka — if they view Drummond as an upgrade.

That brings us to our question of the day: If the Pistons deal Andre Drummond, which team would be the best fit for him? And will he wind up with the Hawks or a playoff contender?

Please weigh in on this topic in our comments section. We look forward to your input.

Pistons Discussing Andre Drummond With Hawks, Others

January 3rd, 2020 at 3:42pm CST by Luke Adams

3:42pm: The Celtics, Mavericks, and Raptors have also registered interest in Drummond, tweets Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Goodwill notes that Drummond has relationships with Dallas big man Kristaps Porzingis and Toronto point guard Kyle Lowry, while Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports adds (via Twitter) that the big man is close with Hawks star Trae Young.

2:05pm: The Pistons and Hawks have engaged in talks on a possible trade involving center Andre Drummond, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. According to Wojnarowski, nothing is imminent, but Detroit is discussing Drummond with multiple teams and there’s an increasing belief that the big man will be moved before next month’s trade deadline.

Drummond, 26, is enjoying perhaps the best season of his NBA career so far, with career highs in PPG (17.6), BPG (1.8), and SPG (2.0) to go along with a league-leading 15.8 RPG. Despite his strong play though, the Pistons are out of the playoff picture — their 12-23 record places them 11th in the Eastern Conference.

Facing a potential lottery finish and a contract year for Drummond, who will likely decline his $28.75MM option for 2020/21, it makes sense that the Pistons would consider their options. Securing a strong return for their starting center would be a more favorable outcome than losing him for nothing in the summer or overpaying to lock him up to a long-term contract.

As we relayed earlier today, Pistons owner Tom Gores admitted that his struggling team may need to consider taking a step back rather than remaining in win-now mode, and the Hawks are in the market for a veteran center. The two teams could be a good match, especially since Atlanta has extra draft picks available and a handful of expiring contracts that could be used for salary-matching purposes. Chandler Parsons‘s expiring $25.1MM deal would be the most logical trade chip to match Drummond’s $27.09MM cap hit.

According to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press (via Twitter), a package of one or more expiring contracts and a protected 2020 first-round pick is one option being discussed. It’s not clear if the Hawks would be willing to make such an offer or if the Pistons would accept it.

If the Hawks were to acquire Drummond during the season, they’d be in position to re-sign him in July using his Bird rights. The club has plenty of cap flexibility going forward, so there would be no risk of going into tax territory even with a lucrative new deal for Drummond. Atlanta would then be in position to build around a frontcourt of Drummond and John Collins, with Trae Young running the show.

Of course, as Woj notes, the Hawks aren’t the only team talking to Detroit about a potential trade involving Drummond, so the Pistons are unlikely to rush a deal unless they get an offer they really like. The club still has nearly five weeks until the February 6 trade deadline arrives.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pistons Notes: Griffin, Trade Deadline, Drummond, Wood

January 2nd, 2020 at 12:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons got a relatively healthy season and a half out of Blake Griffin after the surprising trade that brought him to Detroit in January of 2018, but now they’re experiencing the “worst-case scenario” part of that deal, writes James Edwards III of The Athletic. Knee soreness has limited Griffin to 18 games this season as the Pistons are off to a 12-22 start that has them stuck in 11th place in the East. He’s posting career lows with 15.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, along with a .352 shooting percentage.

Griffin’s health issues made him a risky investment, but the bigger gamble was the huge contract he signed with the Clippers a few months before the deal. After making nearly $34.5MM this year, Griffin is owed $36.8MM in 2020/21 and has a $38.95MM player option the following season. That deal makes him extremely difficult to trade and presents an impediment for an organization that may be thinking about rebuilding.

Management rolled the dice on Griffin because they thought he would turn the Pistons into a perennial playoff team. However, Edwards notes that they were restricted from adding more talent because Griffin, Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson and Jon Leuer combined for about $80MM in cap room when the trade was completed and all had more than a year left on their contracts.

There’s more from Detroit:

It will be difficult for the Pistons to move any of their large contracts before next month’s trade deadline, predicts Keith Langlois of NBA.com. With everyone except the Hawks over the cap, Langlois doesn’t expect any deals that will help a team take a significant amount of salary off its books. Detroit will have more flexibility this summer when Jackson’s contract expires and Drummond may opt out of his $28.75MM salary for next season.
Any championship window the Pistons may have had with their current roster is rapidly closing, observes Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Even though the front office brought in some help this summer by adding Derrick Rose, Markieff Morris and Tim Frazier, it hasn’t been enough to overcome injuries. Beard believes Langston Galloway and Rose would be the most attractive pieces if Detroit decides to become sellers at the deadline.
Christian Wood‘s future in Detroit will be tied to Drummond’s decision on his player option, Beard adds in the same piece. Wood will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and it’s unclear how much the Pistons would be willing to give him to continue in a backup role. However, he would be an option as a starter if Drummond opts out and signs elsewhere.

Woj, Lowe On D-Lo, Mavs, MPJ, Love, VanVleet, More

December 16th, 2019 at 9:15am CST by Luke Adams

Approximately 120 players around the NBA became trade-eligible on Sunday, signaling the unofficial start of the NBA’s 2019/20 trade season. To celebrate the occasion, Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe hosted an ESPN special to survey the trade market, discussing which teams are most likely to make moves and which players are most likely to be dealt.

Here are several of the highlights from that discussion between Woj and Lowe:

Western Conference:

The Warriors may field trade inquiries on D’Angelo Russell leading up to February’s trade deadline, but they’re unlikely to actively shop him and probably won’t move him before the 2020 offseason, according to Wojnarowski (video link).
Wojnarowski believes the Mavericks would like to acquire a standout center to complement Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis (video link). He cites Montrezl Harrell as one player who might fit that bill, though Dallas would have to wait for the Clippers‘ big man to reach free agency.
The Nuggets essentially view Michael Porter Jr. as “untouchable,” says Wojnarowski (video link).
Wojnarowski and Lowe expect contenders to keep a close eye on Pelicans guards Jrue Holiday and J.J. Redick as the deadline nears (video link). According to Woj, Holiday loves New Orleans, but it’s not clear how patient he’ll be with the team’s rebuilding process.
Woj and Lowe note that the Clippers pursued Marcus Morris in free agency and could have interest in him again on the trade market. Lowe wouldn’t be surprised if the club tries to see what it can get using a package of Maurice Harkless, Patrick Patterson, and its first-round pick (video link).
Wojnarowski views 2019/20 as a pivotal year for the Rockets, adding that GM Daryl Morey seems to have given up trying to find a way to trade for Grizzlies wing Andre Iguodala after exploring multi-team scenarios earlier in the year (video link).

Eastern Conference:

Wojnarowski thinks the best the Cavaliers can realistically expect in a Kevin Love trade is a protected first-round pick, an expiring salary, and another throw-in player (video link). Woj adds that it seems as if Love is “ready to go,” having lost patience with the rebuild in Cleveland.
Count the Raptors and Heat among teams that will be reluctant to make any moves that compromise their 2021 cap flexibility (video links). According to Wojnarowski, Toronto wants to re-sign Fred VanVleet this summer, but continues to eye Giannis Antetokounmpo for ’21. As for the Heat, they seem less likely to trade young players for veterans than they have been in the past.
Pistons owner Tom Gores “loves” Andre Drummond, but the club will soon have to have a serious conversation about whether to go all-in on the veteran center or whether to try to shop him, per Woj (video link).
Lowe thinks players like Timberwolves forward Robert Covington and J.J. Redick will be on the Bucks‘ radar if they’re available, adding that Milwaukee appears willing to go over the tax line for the right deal (video link).

Central Notes: Love, Doumbouya, Drummond

December 9th, 2019 at 6:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Trail Blazers, Nuggets and Suns are some of the teams that might be interested in Cavaliers forward Kevin Love but his trade value has diminished due to his health and contract, Sean Deveney of Heavy.com writes. Love is in the first year of his $120MM extension and he’s experienced back issues after missing most of last season with a toe injury, Deveney notes. He also missed significant time the previous two seasons with hand and knee injuries. Cleveland’s haul for Love would likely involve a first-round pick, salary-cap relief, and perhaps an underachieving young player, Deveney adds.

We have more from around the Central Division:

Love isn’t sure if he’ll be dealt but he understands why there’s so much speculation regarding his status on the rebuilding Cavaliers, Tim Bontemps of ESPN relays. “I imagine, in a rebuild, it’s easy to look at it, especially when it’s down and out at this point, and say, ‘Hey, we want to completely reset the deck and go young,'” Love said. “I understand that. But despite that, whether it’s five months or five years, I’m always going to be able to come back to Cleveland no matter what, and I’ll always love the fans, and be part of this organization, one way or another.”
Pistons first-rounder Sekou Doumbouya has taken a positive approach to his G League assignments, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press reports. In 13 games with the Grand Rapids Drive, Doumbouya is averaging 17.1 PPG and 5.4 RPG while shooting 40.9% on 3-point attempts. The forward doesn’t turn 19 until December 23. “He’s coachable,” Grand Rapids coach Donnie Tyndall said. “He will look you in the eye when he’s talking to you. He doesn’t cop an attitude or have bad body language. He gets disappointed in himself a little bit, he’s pretty hard on himself.”
Pistons coach Dwane Casey is baffled when center Andre Drummond‘s energy level is criticized, as he told The Free Press this weekend. Drummond, who can become an unrestricted free agent if he opts out this summer, leads the league in rebounding by a wide margin and recorded his 37th career 20-20 game against Indiana on Friday. “If he makes a mistake, they say he doesn’t have energy,” Casey said. “To get to 20 rebounds, somebody show me how to get 20 rebounds with two guys trying to box you out. That’s energy. I struggle when people say that Andre’s not playing with energy. To do what he does takes a lot of energy.”

Hornets Notes: Drummond, Draft, Batum

November 28th, 2019 at 9:23am CST by ChrisCrouse

The Pistons‘ asking price for Andre Drummond would have to be pretty low for the Hornets to trade for the center, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer contends. The scribe believes that Charlotte shouldn’t part with young players or serious draft capital to acquire Drummond in part, because of the risk that he would just leave next summer in free agency.

Here’s more from Charlotte:

In the same piece, Bonnell argues that the Hornets shouldn’t worry about tanking or making strategic moves to secure a better chance at a high pick in the lottery. Charlotte has several young pieces and it’s more important to develop them — if the team wins a few more games as a result, so be it.
Nicolas Batum has a massive contract ($25.5MM this season) and surely, it’s player-friendly but that doesn’t mean the wing doesn’t have value to the Hornets, Bonnell writes in a separate piece. Teammate Marvin Williams believes Batum is the most versatile player on the roster. “On both ends he has always brought a calm and a steadiness to our team, as long as he has been here,” Williams said. “He is so reliable at making plays other guys just can’t make.”
Batum’s deal has two seasons left on it and it’s unlikely that the Hornets trade him before the contract expires, Bonnell adds in that same piece. The wing will make $27.1MM next season, assuming he picks up his player option.