The Philadelphia 76ers entered free agency with one key question hovering around them –– do they keep Andre Drummond or not? Well, it did not take a long period of time before the front office arrived at a decision. Eventually, the veteran big man went to the New York Knicks while the team settled for a younger option at center in Ariel Hukporti. Well, suffice to say that letting the vet go will be a major point of regret in the upcoming season.
At this very juncture, the 76ers still do not have a firm answer as to which player should be the primary backup to Joel Embiid in the next campaign. Last season, Drummond was the clear option for the team when it mattered the most. But with him having already gone to a fierce rival, that kind of certainty off the bench is no longer present.
The 76ers letting Andre Drummond go to the Knicks was a huge mistake
Instead, a key rival in the Knicks, the reigning NBA champs, will get to benefit from what Drummond can still bring to the table. People initially thought that their title defense was going to be nearly impossible after losing Mitchell Robinson in free agency, but bringing Drummond in was a heady bounce-back move in response that should still entrench them as the top dog in the East.
Meanwhile, the 76ers will lose the huge edge they got on the boards thanks to Drummond. Heck, even with him in the fold, the team finished the year as one of the least prolific teams in the rebounding department. Now, without their best rebounder, their numbers on that front will most likely get worse.
In effect, moving on from Drummond not only bolstered one of the most critical competitors the 76ers have to deal with, but also weakened Philly itself. After all, he does not even have a clear and direct replacement yet on the team who can bring the same or nearly the same kind of rebounding prowess he possesses. That is one mistake the front office committed in their otherwise immaculate offseason.
The 76ers should not have any complaints after the kind of summer they had, but for the peanut gallery, the decision to move on from Andre Drummond is definitely the one thing that can draw some critical reviews. While it will not be an end-all, be-all by any means, it simply does have some potentially critical effects, especially when facing the defending champions.
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