Pistons: Andre Drummond and the Dallas Mavericks a perfect match?
By Bob Heyrman
Andre Drummond to the Dallas Mavericks? It’s possible, but the Detroit Pistons star center doesn’t want to leave Detroit.
It’s a move that makes complete business sense for the Detroit Pistons. Sometimes it’s hard to say ‘good-bye’ to one of the only bright spots on the roster over the last few years. Andre Drummond, whether you are a fan or not, has been one of the most durable big-men throughout the NBA.
Andre Drummond has averaged 77 games per season throughout his career. His game to game effort may be questioned, but his availability should never be challenged. The Detroit Pistons drafted Andre Drummond with the 9th overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft.
It’s always hard to see a homegrown (as in a player the organization drafted at 19) player leave, but in this case, it’s the correct move for the organization. Andre is expected to opt-out of the final year of his contract at the end of this season. If Detroit were unwilling to sign him to a max deal, they risk losing him to free agency for nothing in return.
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The NBA has become more of a spot-up shooter’s league, a fast-paced ball moving league with plenty of three-point shot opportunities. It’s not exactly a league where centers thrive. Sure, Andre is excellent on the boards, he’s worked hard to improve his free throw shooting (63% career-best), but he isn’t a player that helps a team from range.
He’s averaging 17.5 PPG and a whopping 16 boards, both remarkable numbers, but those numbers don’t warrant a max deal. The center position just isn’t a position you want to build your franchise around in 2020.
That being said, I’ll still be sorry to see Andre go. There have been plenty of teams that have shown interest in Andre, one of the latest teams being the Dallas Mavericks. Andre Drummond playing as a team’s third option, needing help on the boards makes for a perfect fit.
In a recent Sports Illustrated article Drummond is mentioned as a potential trade target by the Mavericks although Dallas recently said he wouldn’t be a fit. You can see the entire article here.
Dallas rolls out one a superstar scoring in Luka Doncic, who is averaging 29.7 PPG so far this season. The Mavs also deploy Kristaps Porzingis as a perfect complementary scorer averaging 17.3 PPG. Andre is a double-double machine, and Dallas doesn’t currently have anyone who has been able to average double-digit boards this season.
Adding Andre is a move team owner Mark Cuban would get behind, especially with the Mavs sitting second in the Southwest Division, sixth overall in the Western Conference. The West is very tight, the one thru six seeds are all within six and a half games of each other.
Detroit would in all likelihood be forced to absorb 34-year old Courtney Lee‘s atrocious $12.8 million contract along with 35-year old J.J Barea’s contract. Both are expiring deals that could be grouped with a first-round draft pick and perhaps a future pick if he were to re-sign with the Mavs.
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Drummond continues to ‘say’ all of the right things. He’s recently exclaimed that he’d love to play his entire career in Detroit. It appears that won’t be the case, but there is always a chance for a reunion in the offseason, but even that is very unlikely.