The Cleveland Cavaliers and Andre Drummond have reportedly “shown interest” in agreeing to a contract extension, but that eventually happening is seemingly anything but a certainty.
On a recent podcast appearance, Andre Drummond reportedly said that he is “definitely” going to be playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2020-21.
Drummond essentially emphasized that he intends to opt into his $28.8 million player option for next season, which he’d have to do by October 17.
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One would think that’d be the smart move by Drummond anyway, with how the novel coronavirus pandemic has affected things and with teams wanting to hold onto cap space for next star-studded free agent offseason.
From the Cavs’ perspective, it was tough that there was only an eight-game sample size with the big man with the Wine and Gold after he was acquired near the trade deadline via deal with the Detroit Pistons.
In that time, Drummond took some time to get settled in alongside pieces such as Darius Garland, Collin Sexton and Kevin Love, but he did prove to be a very good interior presence, which has been the case for years.
In that span, Drummond showed that often, as he had 17.5 points per game as predominantly a low post/rolling threat.
Heading into the league’s COVID-19-induced hiatus, Drummond again was leading the league in rebounding, too, and even with the Cavs done, I’d technically give Drummond the nod for his fourth NBA rebounding title in eight seasons. He is arguably the league’s best rebounder, which is always a positive for his club.
Granted, Drummond is a non-shooting threat that also mightily struggles from the free throw line. It’s unknown, really, if Drummond can be a long term fit with the Cavs, with how he is a complete non-shooting threat in today’s NBA, and he’s not a big that switch out much in pick-and-roll coverage onto perimeter players.
It’s tough for me to say if he can be with the Cavaliers long term, honestly. Now, Drummond’s interior presence and screening presence provides a constant impact throughout games, but with those two key points mentioned, would it be worth it for the Cavs to seek out extending him?
The two sides have reportedly “shown interest,” but that seems to be anything but a certainty at this point.
In a recent mailbag set of responses, Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor said that the Cavs and Drummond both have “shown interest in an extension.”
What Fedor then followed up with, though, is what stuck out to me here. It shows how that is anything but a certainty and Fedor did say that “there’s so much figure out before late October, when Drummond could technically sign a new deal.”
Here’s more from Fedor on that.
"“What happens if the Cavs draft either Memphis center James Wiseman, who shares the same agent with Drummond, or USC’s Onyeka Okongwu? Would the Cavs, after picking their center of the future, really turn around and give a lucrative, lengthy deal to Drummond? That would be a massive investment in a position that continues to lose its importance. Would Drummond really commit to a team that just chose his eventual replacement?The Cavs also have to determine whether a commitment to Drummond is even worth it. It’s one thing for him to opt in and swallow their cap space in a feeable free agency summer. But a long-term deal could take away from Cleveland’s financial flexibility for the foreseeable future.”"
Fedor would then hit on how the Cleveland Cavaliers shouldn’t be spending big money, realistically on a non-shooter like Drummond, though he did say how Drummond could have a positive impact with his interior presence and ability to protect the rim.
Personally, I agree with Fedor there in how he questioned why the Cavs would do so, and the Cavs could likely find a similar, cheaper true center to fill that role eventually.
Again, the two sides showing mutual interest in late June is one thing. With this unprecedented offseason/free agency period set to be in October and the extension window in late October, though, the Cavaliers and Drummond agreeing on an extension is anything but a certainty.
Perhaps Drummond, who is a great team defender on the interior and actually was second in the NBA in steals going into the hiatus, per Basketball Reference, and is a good interior presence offensively, can have a considerable impact, however.
That said, I’m again with Fedor here, and I question how the Drummond fit with Cleveland can be. A big money, long term extension for Drummond would be a really questionable move, and I can’t say that’d get my stamp of approval at this time.
It’s hard to say if the Cavs, factoring in Drummond’s style, would actually eventually go through with that possibility. We’ll see come October, though.