The Philadelphia 76ers, like the rest of the league, probably never even entertained the thought that Andre Drummond would eventually become a three-point shooter. Yet here we are, in the year of our Lord 2026, witnessing the former All-Star center hoist up three-pointers from time to time and actually live out in the perimeter for considerable chunks of his court time.
For the year, Drummond has canned 34.7 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc, which is easily a career-best mark for him. He has drained 26 triples this season, which is a dramatic jump given that entering the campaign, he had converted on just 23 of those. That is a good thing, right? Well, it would be better to pump the brakes on that one.
There is nothing wrong with expanding one's game, especially in the modern NBA where shooting is at a premium. However, players remain much better off playing to their strengths, and in Drummond's case, his emergence as a part-time floor spacer is actually pretty telling of what he can no longer do –– be a imposing force down low.
The 76ers are seeing an Andre Drummond shift the team does not need
Drummond is still among the most prolific rebounders in basketball, but him being a stationary piece out in the three-point line at times points to a glaring hole in his game at this point in his career, which is his finishing ability.
In Year 14, the veteran big man is shooting just 47.6 percent from the field, which is easily his lowest mark in a single campaign. He is only converting 53.2 percent of his shots from the restricted area and 52.6 of his field goal attempts in the paint (excluding those from the former). Those are not ideal numbers for a center.
Already 32, Drummond's touch inside the paint has certainly waned, so it is unsurprising that he is trying to find new ways to be a factor on the offensive end. Of course, the 76ers would be better off having him occupy a lot of space dow low to make full use of his board-crashing expertise, but this is simply a case of compensating for a declining skill.
With Joel Embiid still sidelined, the 76ers will gladly take whatever they can get from Andre Drummond. However, this expansion of his game, while a true and blue addition, also presupposes a notable subtraction –– and there is no arguing against that one.