Cavs: Deadline timing for Andre Drummond trade would make sense

It’s uncertain if Andre Drummond will be a long-term piece for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

We didn’t see Andre Drummond much with the Cleveland Cavaliers after he was acquired via trade from the Detroit Pistons. Post-2020 NBA trade deadline, Drummond only made eight appearances with the Cavs.

He had a tough start, but Drummond became more comfortable, and in eight games this past season with Cleveland, had 17.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per outing. In 2019-20, mostly with Detroit, Drummond had a career-best 17.7 points per game, thanks to a much improved low-post game.

It’s evident that Drummond is one of the NBA’s best rebounders, perhaps most notably, and his defensive feel on the interior could help pieces such as Collin Sexton, Darius Garland and Kevin Love, to some degree.

Now, Drummond could be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, though, and not be back with the Cavaliers. Albeit that doesn’t appear likely, as it’s reportedly highly likely that Drummond picks up his $28.8 million player option for next season.

Dre being back seems to be a foregone conclusion, but it’s only natural for fans to wonder if Drummond could potentially be a long-term contributor for Cleveland.

With how Drummond is a non-shooter, defensively pretty limited if needed in switchout situations some and is a player that could clog up driving lanes at times for others, though, that’s unclear, and it wouldn’t seem especially likely. Drummond is still a player that will produce when it’s out there, however, and perhaps he does eventually fit well.

Nonetheless, it’s reasonable to foresee the Cavaliers wanting to trade Drummond, provided he opts in. So when could that possibly be then?

That’s reportedly said to be near the 2021 deadline, which makes sense. Here was more of a guage in that regard, per Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor in a recent set of mailbag responses, and Fedor alluded to how it seems unlikely that Drummond and the Cavs agree to an extension.

"“Multiple league sources believe the Cavs’ best chance for a trade would be at the deadline, sending him to a contender looking for an additional piece with no financial commitment beyond the 2020-21 season. That gives rival executives a chance to evaluate where they stand financially and competitively.If extension talks don’t reignite between Drummond and the Cavs, and the goal is to get something of value before he leaves in free agency, the Cavs’ best option may be taking a better-fitting player with multiple years of salary.”"

This would seem to be a reasonable approach by the Cavs.

For the Wine and Gold, them seemingly very well having their “best chance” at looking to deal Drummond near the deadline makes sense.

As Fedor noted, other clubs would know their standing more financially, and/or how their roster construction/contending viability would be as opposed to a potential deal before the season, for example.

And Cleveland, if they were to have this approach, looking at a player with a similar contract with multiple years and potentially as one with a better fit from there, with how the Cavs are not a realistic big free agency player, anyway, would be understandable.

In that realm, while it was suggested for a deal this offseason, I can get where Forbes‘ Evan Dammarell is coming from in proposing a Cavs-Golden State Warriors deal involving Drummond in exchange for Andrew Wiggins and a 2021 first-round pick in return to Cleveland.

Now, unlike KJG’s John Carter, who would give that a thumbs up, I’d pass on Wiggins, who would do anything but improve Cleveland’s defense, and his contract.

His score-first, second and third mentality I wouldn’t love, either, with how he’s not an efficient scorer and with how Wiggins’ style could be a detriment to other young Cavs players. But Dammarell’s general idea for a possible Drummond trade return is in the right place.

Although, while it doesn’t seem likely that Drummond and the Cavaliers agree to an extension this offseason, based on Fedor’s report, it wouldn’t hurt to give Drummond more time alongside other Cavs pieces, such as Kevin Love, for example.

We didn’t see the Love-Drummond pairing much at all, due to Cleveland’s season being cut short ultimately due to novel coronavirus concerns/the Cavs not being invited to the Orlando bubble.

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It’s uncertain if the two can work for long stretches, given major defensive question marks against more perimeter-oriented teams.

But we did see some instances when the Cavaliers were able to wear out opponents on the interior, and Love-Drummond could be quite the offensive frontcourt pairing and with them both being elite rebounders.

Drummond getting considerable burn with Love on the floor with him, with Love’s passing ability, and clearly, floor spacing presence with him at the 4, could open up plenty of space for Drummond on the interior.

Love is fresh off hitting 37.4 percent of his career-high 7.0 three-point attempts in 2019-20, for further context, and players such as Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, Cedi Osman and Dylan Windler could also aid Drummond from a spacing perspective, too.

Moreover, while it’s fair to question if the Love-Drummond pairing could work for extended stretches, given today’s league, that frontcourt pairing, in particular, should at least be given some real burn.

Maybe that could indicate that Drummond alongside Love, and perhaps other key pieces such as Sexton, Garland and/or Kevin Porter Jr., could maybe be a viable long-term fit. If that’s the case and the Drummond fit exceeds expectations, maybe he and the team could agree on a reasonable new contract next offseason, if it comes to that point.

Circling back, though, it’s sensible that the Cleveland Cavaliers’ “best” shot at trading Drummond is near the next deadline, based on Fedor’s comments, and with teams then having more of a guage on what they’ll be looking for for a postseason/title contention push.

Furthermore, if the Cavs were to select a big fifth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, such as USC’s Onyeka Okongwu, who could be an ideal long-term 5 looking onward, it could pay off, though, to have Drummond as the starter pre-deadline from a development standpoint.

Then if the Cavs were to trade Drummond then, it could enable Okongwu, for instance, to have a potential starting role from there to close out his rookie year, which could work out really well for Cleveland looking forward from that point.

Anyway, while I can understand why some would maybe prefer a Drummond trade even before this next season begins, it makes sense why Cleveland’s “best chance” at a potential Drummond trade is said to be at the next deadline.

Maybe, depending on how things play out, also, Drummond sticks around through the deadline if his fit works and/or the Cavs players continue to build chemistry with him.

We’ll see, but keeping Dre around for a good chunk at least before a potential move seems logical.