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The LA Lakers' latest All-Star acquisition Andre Drummond is expected to re-sign with the team this summer as per the latest NBA Rumors.
He has had a mixed campaign so far and has taken time to settle, but the Lakers front office considers Drummond to be part of their plans moving forward.
The Lakers signed the big-man as a free agent after he reached a buy-out agreement with the Cleveland Cavaliers midseason.
So far, Andre Drummond has started every game for the side and has averaged 11.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per contest during the regular season, his lowest tally since his rookie year.
NBA Rumors: LA Lakers keen on keeping Andre Drummond after this season
Andre Drummond has taken time to settle with the LA Lakers, but ESPN's Dave McMenamin believes the franchise's front-office considers him part of their future moving forward.
Here's what he said on the recent episode of 'The Lowe Post Podcast':
“…obviously he gets more than just ceremonial minutes. That seems to be something that is important to Drummond, which makes it important to the Lakers’ front office because they have signaled to everyone listening, ‘This isn’t just a half a season buyout market rental. Andre Drummond is part of the future moving forward with this franchise.”
The LA Lakers, having already tied down Anthony Davis to a max contract and LeBron James to a two-year extension at the start of this campaign, are looking to maximize their chances of winning the title in the coming years.
They dominated the 2019-2020 campaign because of the size they had on their roster and are likely to stick to that as it suits their defense-heavy style of play.
Andre Drummond might not have flourished yet but with limited time to practice because of the stacked schedule and the LA Lakers being plagued by injuries all season, it was always going to be difficult.
However, they will have enough time next season to prepare Drummond and maximize his presence on the court alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
On paper, it has always looked like a lethal combination. If the Lakers can make a deep postseason run, we could indeed get to witness Drummond playing better with the Lakers getting more games under their belt with him in the lineup.
Also read: Which top players have dealt with injuries in the 2021 NBA playoffs so far?
