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Andre Drummond has been in the news lately after he commented on his Instagram post that he deserves more playing time and if he got it, he'd be able to dominate. He draws a salary of $29 million this season and then enters free agency in the offseason. LA Lakers coach Frank Vogel has said,
"We’re hopeful that he’s a Laker for a long time"
However, that does seem unlikely and Andre Drummond might get a mid-level deal at another franchise looking to add a rebounder.
NBA Free Agency: Five likely destinations for Andre Drummond
Andre Drummond is a two-time All-Star who made the All-NBA third team in 2016. He has led the league in rebounding four times in his nine-year career and has never grabbed less than 12 boards per season except in his rookie year. Any team targeting him in free agency will do so to get an elite rebounder. Drummond also gets roughly 1.5 blocks and steals on the defensive end. Let's take a look at five teams that can target Andre Drummond in the 2021 NBA offseason.
#1 Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are expected to target big men and tall forwards in the upcoming offseason. They have the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and NBA rumors suggest they have their eye on centers. They have been linked to Jarrett Allen and Myles Turner and it is clear that the frontcourt is the only glaringly obvious hole in their roster. The Hornets are also one of the few teams in the league with cap space so they can easily sign Drummond to a decent deal.
They have an incredibly young roster filled with talented guards like LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Devonte' Graham and Malik Monk. Andre Drummond is 27 years old right now and he could fit in well with this group. The Hornets were quite close to ending their playoff drought this past season and adding a veteran rebounding big like Drummond would certainly help their cause next year.
#2 New York Knicks
The team with the most cap space of any team in the league, the New York Knicks could offer Andre Drummond the sizable deal he wants. They have proven themselves to be a desirable free agent destination with their young and talented roster that reached the fourth seed in the conference last year. The Knicks also have the aura and attraction of Madison Square Garden and at an excellent coach in Tom Thibodeau.
Before the 2021 NBA Trade Deadline, the New York Knicks were high on acquiring Andre Drummond until he was picked up by the LA Lakers. However, NBA rumors suggest they are still keen to get the big man and might target him in free agency.
#3 Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are seriously considering parting ways with Kristaps Porzingis after his performances in the 2021 NBA playoffs and could be in the market for another big man. They are ranked bottom 10 in both offensive and defensive rebounding and Andre Drummond might be the perfect addition to this team. The are already linked with Jarrett Allen of the Cleveland Cavaliers and are looking for new big men to pair with Luka Doncic.
Boban Marjanovic and Dwight Powell are perfect for a bench role and Drummond can be the defensive and rebounding anchor for the team.
#4 Toronto Raptors
The main reason for the Toronto Raptors downfall this season is because their centers departed in free agency. They won the championship in 2019 and then Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green left. However, they still managed to get to the second round in 2020 with their remaining group. But when Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol left the team, they entered the lottery spots. They are in serious need of a good center capable of low-post defense and rebounding so Andre Drummond might be the one.
The Toronto Raptors were already interested in acquiring him at the NBA trade deadline this season and could still target him in free agency.
#5 Washington Wizards
Pairing the star backcourt of Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal with a big man like Andre Drummond does seem like an interesting proposition. The Washington Wizards were also one of the teams looking at Andre Drummond at the NBA trade deadline. They need to upgrade their roster to make another attempt at the NBA playoffs and acquiring Drummond seems like a good place to start.
It would take a lot of the load off Westbrook to get rebounds and allow the point guard to solely make plays and get buckets. Moreover, Andre Drummond would elevate the team's defense and get them more points in the paint.
Also Read: 2021 NBA Draft: Ranking the top 5 centers available
Guess the Lakers players!
