The Cleveland Cavaliers have decided that Jarrett Allen is the long-term answer for them at the center position. In the meantime, the team will bench Andre Drummond until they either find a suitor before the NBA trade deadline for him or reach a buyout agreement.
Drummond, 27, is a former first round pick by the Detroit Pistons and he could look to compete for a championship with a great team this season. The Cavaliers are a team that is looking to build for the future, and they certainly have no need for six big men on their roster.
So far this season, Drummond has averaged 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists with the Cavaliers. The sheer box score numbers alone will be more than enough to entice some teams to bring him in for a playoff push, but will it be enough to be worth executing a trade for his $28.8M expiring contract?
It would take a lot of creativity for most teams to match salary to make a trade work for Drummond financially. In fact, it seems as though most teams will be waiting to see if there is a potential buyout agreement that is reached with the Cavaliers to make it much easier to sign him.
Based on the latest NBA rumors, the Cavaliers and Drummond have not yet discussed a potential buyout agreement. It’s clear they will try to execute a trade and take as long as they need to do so, but the situation could change if that proves to not lead to a deal.
Here’s a look at three teams who should pursue a trade for Andre Drummond at the NBA trade deadline.