The Philadelphia 76ers have made a couple of flashy, yet well-acclaimed moves to start the offseason, but their need for more secure options at the backup center positions remains intact. That makes the impending exit of veteran big man Andre Drummond all the more notable, especially since the team had to rely on yet another unproven option in the open market so far.
Well, nothing is set in stone yet, but the former All-Star definitely sent a strong signal that his stint with the franchise is ending soon. In a recent exchange, Drummond said that he is done taking pay cuts moving forward, which indicates that the 76ers will have to spend more than they expected to keep his services. Given the team's current financial outlook, that is simply not happening.
"I did that once and then I got labeled as one of those guys, and I think it really killed my value in the NBA, because I'm still moving like I'm in my mid-20s. I still have a lot left in the tank."
After trading for Jaylen Brown and signing Dean Wade and Ariel Hukporti, the 76ers are technically still sitting under the first tax apron. However, they only have a very limited amount to throw at free agents, and their list of priorities at this very juncture makes it so that retaining Drummond is no longer as high as he once was.
The 76ers already know the fate of Andre Drummond with the team this summer
Drummond turned in a very productive campaign this past season, averaging 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds in just under 20 minutes per outing. He even transformed himself into a floor-spacer in limited capacity, draining 35.6 percent of his three-point tries. Simply put, he was solid enough for a team that was severely lacking viable options at the backup center position.
It would surely be in Philly's best interests to keep him in the fold, but it appears to be that the same is not applicable for Drummond himself. It remains to be seen whether the other ball clubs would value him enough to give him anything more handsome than the veteran's minimum, but the 76ers are surely not going to yield to a more lucrative demand given how things currently stand.
The Andre Drummond experience in Philly (well, the second one) ended up being largely positive, but the team is simply not in a position where it can hand out more money upon demand. As such, the 76ers are probably ready to part ways with the veteran big man, although there are going to be clear consequences for both sides given hwo much they technically need each other.
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