The 2021 NBA trade deadline has come and gone, Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics made their moves, with various reactions from the fanbase. For some players that didn’t get moved, a contract buyout was in their future.
One of the biggest names that were bought out was former Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers center, Andre Drummond.
Drummond had been rumored to potentially be involved in a trade to the Celtics for a couple of months and now he may finally end up there. The buyout was expected and now, if Ainge and the Celtics really want to add another player that could be a key contributor, he could be in the Celtics’ sights.
He’s a pretty polarizing player with a skill set that is outdated to say the least for today’s NBA. Not a spot-up shooter, Drummond’s skills shine when on defense. As one of the better, if not the best, rebounders in the NBA, he definitely fits a certain niche.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, Drummond is going to be speaking with the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets:
Yahoo Sources: Andre Drummond will listen to pitches from the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 26, 2021
As for his fit with the Celtics, he wouldn’t be as much of a waste of space as a lot of people are saying. With how inconsistent Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown are, having a dominant presence down low strictly to rebound wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. The two-time All-Star and former All-NBA level center will definitely have a strong market.
Obviously, he won’t be getting paid anywhere near what he was before–the veteran’s minimum is a distinct possibility–which would make his acquisition more enticing for the listed parties.
The Celtics traded away Daniel Theis and acquired Moritz Wagner at the deadline so the roster still has a ton of big men on it. Tristan Thompson was brought in during the offseason to be that dominant rebounder, but with Drummond now available, how does that change the Celtics game plan?
We’ll find out within the coming days, but the Boston Celtics are a dark horse candidate to watch in the Drummond sweepstakes.