When is andre drummond returning

When Davis was healthy, that often forced him out of the paint and clogged the driving lanes for the Lakers. Still, Drummond played 24 minutes in the Lakers Game 2 win over Phoenix in the first round, and 20 minutes in the Game 3 win, combining for 21 points and 23 rebounds in those two victories.

But in the same vein, when the chips were on the table and the Lakers were in a win-or-go-home situation, just like Montrezl Harrell , Drummond was strapped to the bench. Ultimately, he was a role player who had good games and bad.

Drummond signed for just the remainder of the regular season when he joined the Lakers. He will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and his market will be interesting. It was quite interesting the degree to which Frank Vogel spoke about a desire to keep Drummond long-term during the season. It was also quite interesting that Drummond has taken to social media during the offseason to criticize Vogel and what he felt were a lack of minutes he received.

Even if Drummond played the role of good sport during the year and much of the criticism surrounding him was out of his control, it seems like a split makes the most sense for both sides. Fair or foul, Drummond will represent a Lakers season that went awry to many fans, and that will be a hard stigma to lose. The Lakers frontcourt also needs de-cluttering and the Lakers already appear to have acknowledged the need for Davis and LeBron James to play the center and power forward positions , respectively, more often.

Drummond, maybe more than any other big man in that frontcourt, is expendable. It feels likely the two sides wash their hands clean of the situation and move on. You can follow Jacob on Twitter at JacobRude. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from.

By the trade deadline, they opted to trade Drummond to the Cavaliers for a second-round pick, as well as the expiring contracts of Brandon Knight and John Henson. Drummond finished out the season and started the season with the Cavaliers before they opted to buy out his contract midseason. He signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in March. He signed with the 76ers for the veteran minimum during the offseason and 76ers head coach Doc Rivers understands that the year-old is finding his way in a new role.

They really are. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. All rights reserved About Us. Will he happily turn down what could be big money from other teams to stay in Los Angeles for less? Can the Lakers find a way to keep Drummond but other key potential free agents like Schroder and Harrell as well? Given how short careers are in the NBA and how difficult it can be for players to be patient financially, it's not a given the Lakers will be able to navigate the offseason without significant sacrifices.

In trading for Schroder in the offseason, the Lakers also acquired his full Bird rights, enabling them to pay him more than any other team to stay. They don't have that same luxury with their big men, just non-Bird rights. At least that's in the ballpark, compared to the amount they can pay Drummond without cap room or an exception. Given the team's investment in James and Davis, cap room isn't a viable option. The former would solve many of the Lakers' issues, allowing them to spend freely to re-sign other free agents like Schroder and Harrell.

And that's assuming Drummond is even willing to take a below-market contract to stay. The Lakers cannot compete at that price. But the reality is that competing teams may test both big men's patience for a richer Lakers' payday, and the franchise may lose both to other suitors.

With no hard cap locked for next year yet , the Lakers can reach Schroder's reported demands but haven't. In waiting for free agency, the guard faces some risk injury, the Lakers choose to invest in Drummond and other players , but the upside of a larger contract in free agency appears to be too enticing. The deal reportedly fell apart on the Lakers' refusal to include young guard Talen Horton-Tucker. What's the correct number for Schroder?