Despite fears about Daryl Morey's constant hankering for a trade materializing, the Philadelphia 76ers made a rather surprising choice, keeping veteran big man Andre Drummond on the roster beyond the trade deadline. There were rumors about the team making him available for taking, but nothing came to fruition in that regard.
All in all, that is a sensible choice on the part of the front office. And in doing so, the 76ers might have just laid bare their plans for Drummond moving forward, that is, he will most likely end up staying with the team beyond this season. He will hit the open market this summer, but it is becoming clear that this ball club cannot afford to lose him.
Drummond, who had a pretty disappointing campaign last season, has had a great resurgence. He has more than capably filled in when Joel Embiid has been sidelined. His rebounding remains easily the best on the team, and his finishing has returned to a respectable level. There is simply no reason to part ways with him this offseason.
The 76ers seem to have already made a decision on Andre Drummond's fate
Given Drummond's elite rebounding, playoff teams will definitely come lining up for his services in free agency. However, the 76ers do have an edge over prospective buyers due to his growing comfort with the franchise, and the front office definitely has to capitalize on that.
The 76ers have taken a conservative approach with Embiid, and it would be in their best interests to keep that up. As such, they will be in constant need of someone who is familiar with the playbook and can offer a lot of resistance in the position, but one who will not cost an arm and a leg given their already muddled payroll.
Drummond checks all of those boxes. He will definitely not cost a lot to keep on the roster, and even if another team offers a little bit more money, the 76ers have more than sufficient pedigree for him as an individual to forego a menial pay raise.
Philly has already entrenched Adem Bona as their go-to backup center, but it helps to have someone who has ample experience like Drummond. The 76ers have lofty plans in mind moving forward, but they cannot just gloss over the importance of a reliable backup who can function well off the bench, as a part-time benchwarmer, and as a temporary starter when needed.