Cleveland Cavaliers: Analyzing Andre Drummond trade

It’s official, the Cleveland Cavaliers have completed a trade to acquire Andre Drummond. Here is how the two-time All-Star fits with the team.

With only an hour remaining before the NBA trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled the trigger on a deal with the Detroit Pistons to acquire Andre Drummond. In exchange, the Cavs sent over John Henson, Brandon Knight and a second-round draft pick. A seemingly small price to pay for a two-time All-Star.

Drummond is leading the league in rebounding for the fourth time in his eight-year career and is averaging a career-high 17.8 points on 53.0 percent shooting. He has recorded a double-double in 42-of-49 games this season and has 12 games of 20+ rebounds.

On the surface, this trade seems like a resounding win for the Cavaliers. They have successfully flipped two players who were barely in the rotation for one of the best rebounding big men in the association.

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However, for any fan who has watched Drummond this season, his raw stats do not tell the full story. There is a reason the Pistons were eager to dump his near $30 million dollar contract for nothing but a few aging veterans in return.

Drummond has not done much to help the Pistons push for another playoff berth this season. Detroit has no choice but to accept their fate and initiate another complete rebuild. It’s evident that a 26-year-old Drummond would not have been a beneficial piece for the team moving forward.

So, why do the Cavaliers feel that Drummond will help them rebuild?

Well, to keep it simple, he might not. The big man has a player option built into his contract that will allow him to leave at the season’s end if he wishes. In this case, the Cavaliers will have cleared a ton of cap space for the upcoming free agency class.

It’s unlikely the Cavaliers will land any major stars but it is always a plus to have extra financial freedom. Eating up Drummond’s contract for the remainder of the season is an easy decision for the Cavaliers if it means opening up more salary for the summer.

In contrast, Drummond could prove to be a valuable member of the Cavaliers. It has been quite some time since the franchise had a star center and they have been suffering because of it. In each of the last two seasons, the Cavaliers have ranked in the bottom 10 for both rebounds and blocks.

Drummond solves both of these issues. Though he is not an elite shot-blocker, he is a vast improvement from the Cavaliers’ current rim protectors. Furthermore, his 15.8 rebounds per game should help the Cavs win the battle of the glass on most nights.

It’s easy to imagine Drummond finding success running pick-and-roll with the Cavaliers young guards. His massive frame makes him a brick wall when setting screens. Collin Sexton and Darius Garland will love operating a two-man game with Andre.

The biggest problem with this trade is the Cavaliers frontcourt is now stacked with rotational players. Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson and Larry Nance Jr. will all be battling Drummond for playing time. Nonetheless, having too much depth is sometimes a good problem to have.

This was a low-risk, high-reward move for Cleveland. If Drummond doesn’t fit with the team, he will open up extra cap space and be gone by the summer. On the other hand, he can become a reliable paint presence for years to come.