Cavs rumors: Andre Drummond could be headed for buyout; more on trade candidates

Andre Drummond has often been a key player mentioned in Cleveland Cavaliers conversation and in particular, Cavs rumors involving potential trades/a possible buyout for a while to this point.

There’s been reported interested suitors previously, and per a report from Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Dallas Mavericks have had discussions with the Cavs on a possible Drummond trade recently.

The Toronto Raptors were the first club that reportedly did so with Cleveland, and the Miami Heat before following that did, too. The New York Knicks have also been a club that has had rumored trade interest in Drummond, and the Boston Celtics have had the same. The Chicago Bulls have reportedly expressed interest, but a trade commencing is another thing.

Anyhow, in terms of other linked clubs not mentioned, and more so via potential buyout it seems, those have also been the buyout frontrunners, if you will, in the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers, and the Portland Trail Blazers.

Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor reported essentially the same recently, too, although Fedor did state, and relayed an opposing executives’ thought, that perhaps other suitors not being Brooklyn or L.A. might be more “incentivized to acquire him in a trade as the clock ticks,” to ensure they land Drummond.

Those teams were the Knicks, Raptors, Bulls, Heat or Celtics, for context, and Fedor in his report stated how he thinks some club would part with a second-round pick for Drummond, ultimately, or a young reclamation project, and cited the Knicks as the “most logical match.”

New York has long been a club mentioned in Drummond rumors, and perhaps with corresponding moves to come and/or before, a deal for Nerlens Noel, Frank Ntilikina and Kevin Knox could happen?

Perhaps a second-round pick as well, as has been previously suggested, but we’d have to see on that. With the Knicks having $15 million in cap space to take on Drummond’s $28.7 million salary for this season, the narrative seemingly would be in-line with Fedor’s comments, anyway.

Nonetheless, even while the Cavs will still keep at it, Drummond could be headed for a buyout, and as Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported (subscription required), Dallas is more so interested in Dre via possible buyout.

Recent Cavs rumors seem to suggest that Drummond could be headed for a buyout, but other Cleveland trade candidates could be on the move.

At this point, though Drummond has been productive, and was with the Detroit Pistons, his deficiencies are still clear. Drummond has had 17.5 points, has been once again among the league leaders with 13.5 rebounds per game, and has had 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per outing.

But his offensive rebounding has largely been because of his lack of touch near the rim/a bit further out via push shots/hooks that haven’t come close, and he has shot a career-worst 47.4 percent, with most of his shots right near the rim. And Drummond needs so many touches in games, which can disrupt flow.

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He hasn’t appeared for Cleveland since Feb. 12 with his camp/the Cavs mutually agreeing that he’d sit until a potential trade and/or other resolution were to come about, and with the lack of effort from him post-Jarrett Allen trade acquisition, and the inefficiencies, that was the right move.

We’ll again have to see if Cleveland does end up dealing Drummond by Thursday’s trade deadline at 3 PM. The Cavaliers acquired him for only two expiring players last season and a then-2023 second-round pick from Detroit, though.

Moving on from there, in regards to other potential candidates to be dealt by the Cavaliers within the next few days, the likes of Cedi Osman and Taurean Prince have been previously mentioned.

Osman has had reported interest from the Nets, LA Clippers and Golden State Warriors, though O’Connor in his report stated, in relation to the Warriors inquiring about Osman, “talks stalled.”

We could seemingly see the likes of Osman and/or Prince, to perhaps facilitate a Drummond deal, as Fedor alluded to, involved in a multi-team trade, however.

Prince has been banged up lately, but has been a viable three-and-D player, or at least had some real success in that realm, previously, more so with the Atlanta Hawks as opposed to Brooklyn, and Osman has been a solid secondary playmaker with Cleveland when given the opportunities. Osman has been in quite a shooting funk for a good stretch here, though, and has hit only 23.2 percent from three-point range in his last 12 games.

And with Prince, he has a $15 million contract for next season, which could cause hesitation for possible trade partners, as Evan Dammarell of Forbes (subsciption required after free trial) noted in a recent report. That led Dammarell to suggest Damyean Dotson, whose set to make $2 million this season and whose deal is non-guaranteed for next season, as potentially a cheaper alternative of sorts.

Dotson has been good defensively, and has done a decent job in the playmaking realm, even as a de facto 1 fairly often, for the Cavs, but he’s really struggled from three-point range this season, having knocked in only 27.4 percent of his triple attempts. Albeit perhaps a second change of scenery could pay off for him? We’ll have to see.

With Dotson’s struggles, to go with Osman’s, in particular, of late, while we’ll have to eventually see if they are moved, more opportunities for Dylan Windler at the 2/3, even with his struggles recently from deep, could pay off. Windler has still shown flashes, and considering the injury luck he had previously, he deserves some slack, and has been productive as a cutter, defender and has had a very healthy 7.7 rebounds per-36 minutes.

And perhaps, not involving Isaac Okoro in this case, getting potentially more burn game-to-game for two-way Lamar Stevens at the 3/4, who has done a really nice job defensively, could be in the cards post-deadline for the Cavaliers, even.

Okay, so lastly, in terms of other realistic potential trade candidates that have been mentioned in Cavs rumors, JaVale McGee could seemingly be on the move. McGee, who has had 7.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 15.1 minutes per outing in 32 appearances for Cleveland this season, has done a nice job throughout the year, for the most part, when he’s had opportunities.

McGee, who was acquired before the season via trade from the Los Angeles Lakers to go with a 2026 second-round pick, could seemingly warrant Cleveland getting back another second-round pick for him, as he is a capable backup 5 that has had plenty of postseason experience. McGee is a three-time NBA champ with the Warriors before and last season with the Lakers, and has reportedly been a great locker room presence for the Cavs.

The Nets, Celtics, Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks have been linked to him, and per Dammarell, the Warriors could look to add him to go with Osman, potentially. McGee is set to make $4.2 million this season, so he could very well be on the move.

We’d have to see, though, and McGee, for context, has been a real contributor for Cleveland this season and is a solid fit behind Allen; I can understand why KJG’s Zane Harris would like to see McGee stick through the deadline.

So perhaps he sticks around; although Dammarell foresees him as the most likely Cavs player to be traded by Thursday’s deadline.

With the deadline quickly approaching here, we’ll keep our eyes peeled for the latest Cavs rumors involving Drummond and other potential Cleveland trade candidates, in any case.