With Deandre Ayton going to Los Angeles, the Lakers have just given the Philadelphia 76ers a gift they probably never saw coming.
While the former first overall pick remains a flawed presence at center, he is, without a doubt, the best available center remaining in the free agency pool before the Lakers scooped him up. Now, there are not a lot of high-upside free agents available for plucking, giving the 76ers a huge opportunity to score a major heist.
The 76ers should now pivot quickly and offer Andre Drummond in trades to those teams that missed out on snagging Ayton. The market for traditional big men have waned, but Drummond profiles as a marginal role player who should have a niche role as a rebounder for most teams. Hence, this should be a great chance for Philly to finally dump his salary and still manage to extract assets out of the two-time All-Star.
The 76ers should trade Andre Drummond after Deandre Ayton spurs free agency suitors
Philadelphia still has not made any signature moves in free agency. The 76ers have already lost Guerschon Yabusele and has yet to come to terms with Quentin Grimes on a new deal. They managed to add Trendon Watford and bring back Eric Gordon, the latter of which remains puzzling to most fans.
If Drummond somehow ends up still being a part of the 76ers roster, that would immediately count as a loss. The 76ers have seen a steep decline from Drummond who, just a year ago, was arguably the premiere backup center in the NBA due to his wild, per-minute production back when he was with the Chicago Bulls.
If anything, Drummond’s pedigree should be enough to arm him with the necessary pedigree to be an attractive, low-cost get for teams in dire need of rebounding. A huge chunk of his struggles with the 76ers last season can be traced to the team’s lack of ideal complements to mask his flaws.
Teams like Indiana and Golden State still need a rebounder, and Drummond would instantly help cover up their woes on the glass with his imposing presence in the paint. He will not be able to offer much elsewhere, but both of those teams are already teeming with players who can cover up his finishing and rim protection flaws.
The Philadelphia 76ers should now find it difficult not to trade Andre Drummond. Hopefully, they finally get it done.