Sixers: 3 goals for Andre Drummond in 2021-22 season

3 goals for Sixers center Andre Drummond: Two blocks & steals per 36 minutes

Drummond will be most valuable for Philadelphia if he can lean into his dominant defensive potential. That has always been the big if of Drummond’s career — he’s an elite defender if he chooses to be. If he plays hard. Going back to the last slide, this is clearly the season and the time for Drummond to buck that reputation and really focus on making his presence felt.

Per 36 minutes, Drummond has never averaged both 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals in a single season. He has, however, averaged over one each in every season, and has spent multiple seasons averaging over two in one category. With fewer minutes on the docket, Drummond should ratchet up the hustle. He will also be playing a lot more second unit offenses.

For his career, 2.8 blocks per 36 is Drummond’s career high. For steals, 2.1 is his career-high mark. Those are both attainable numbers. Drummond is not in Philadelphia to elevate the second unit offense. That’s not really a problem he’s equipped to solve. What he can do, is finally give the Sixers a defensive backbone that doesn’t snap under the slightest bit of pressure.

Also, a truly dominant defensive season from Drummond would ensure Paul Reed and Charles Bassey remain firmly on the margins. There’s a lot of buzz around Reed entering his second NBA season, so Drummond should probably look to win over Doc Rivers early and often. Reed’s No. 1 attribute is his ability to generate turnovers and wreak havoc on offenses. If Drummond, the more established player, is doing just that, then Doc Rivers won’t be tempted to look Reed’s way.