Unlike the free agent frenzy this summer, next year’s open market will produce precious little drama.
Unless Anthony Davis is serious about testing the waters after the Lakers expended many assets to acquire him, there will be no marquee names on the unrestricted free agent list.
Pistons center Andre Drummond might be the most intriguing and polarizing player on the market.
He can become an unrestricted free agent if he declines his player option of $28.75MM. It might be the ideal time for Drummond to test the waters, considering the lack of star power in next year’s free agent class.
He’s the league premier rebounder, particularly at the offensive end. Despite not developing a 3-point shot — though coach Dwane Casey is willing to give him some chances in the future — Drummond averaged a career-best 17.3 PPG last season.
His free throw shooting is still poor but he’s improved enough to stay on the court in crunch time, going from below 40 percent to around 60 the past two seasons.
He’s adept in pick-and-roll situations and led his team in blocks and steals last season. However, his overall defense often leaves something to be desired.
The Pistons have a dilemma on their hands. They could try to work out an extension with Drummond, who is still only 26 and in the prime of his career.
They could also opt to play things out and perhaps trade him before the deadline if their season goes sour. However, if Drummond has a big year and they hold onto him, they could lose him for nothing next summer and face another long rebuild.
Since Drummond didn’t make an All-NBA team last season, he’s not eligible for the super max. If he wanted a maximum extension, he’d have to decline his player option, then receive a 20 percent raise on his $27MM salary for the upcoming season.
With 8% raises during the ensuing three seasons, Drummond could receive a four-year, $145.65MM extension beginning in 2020/21.
The Pistons have been handcuffed by a bad salary cap situation but beyond Blake Griffin‘s contract, they have few salary commitments after this season and will be in pretty good position to make moves next summer.
That leads us to our question of the day: Should the Pistons offer Andre Drummond an extension? If so, would it be in Drummond’s best interests to accept the offer or should he shop his services in a weak free agent market next summer?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Drummond should look to secure himself the most money possible. If he gets offered an extension for 3+ years at over 20 mill he should take it. If they don’t offer and extension depending on your performances this year I’d opt out. If he can produce 17p 15r 2b kinda year then go look for money your still pretty young and teams will offer you lots of years.
From the pistons perspective I’d 1000% look to trade him. He’s going to want to get paid again and although he does get points and he does get rebounds he’s not helping your team win enough games. As for who I would trade Drummond for there are a few players. DAngelo Russell for starters. He’s a young all star PG who will give you 20+ points and 7 or so assists and is a natural leader. He doesn’t exactly fit into GSW with Curry and Klay so Drummond could potentially be good for them at the 5 and if they don’t like get him to opt in then trade him. Secondly DeMare DeRozan, The spurs might be looking to go younger and give more time to it’s younger guards in Murray, White and Walker. They could see Drummond as young enough to replace Aldridge and build with. Thirdly and finally Gordan Haywood, the ex all star SF. With him your banking on him getting back to his best and him and Griffin being a great Duo. The Celtics might accept to get out of overpaying Haywood plus Drummond is young enough to build with Brown and Tatum and fills the kinda defensive void.
I think In terms of winning games all three players make the pistons a better team give them a better feel. All of a sudden they will have Dwayne Casey an ex Coach of the year, guiding Griffin and a new co star (Russell, DeRozan, Haywood) plus be heading into the year with the Celtics weaker, the pacers with Vic Oli still injured, the Wizards without Wall, the Nets without KD, Toronto a lot weaker giving them a chance to get off to a really good start and feel confident. All of a sudden Detroit doesn’t seem like Reggie’s awful team with twin towers but it will be a younger fresher and more athletic team.
If they offer him a 3/60 he should take it, yet opt out of 1/27?? Meanwhile the Pistons should just wait for offers?– like they have for years.
Disagreeing. Reggie, Blake, Drummond are all athletic. They don’t need more of that, they need shooting.
If he doesn’t take a 3/60 I can’t see him getting better offers and if he opts in to his PO and waits a year he could get injured or anything and lose lots of money. I didn’t say wait for offers I said 1000% trade him. Yes those players I suppose are athletic but more meant to say play faster and young more exciting. (Having Russell, DeRozan or Haywood would make them a faster more interesting team to watch then twin towers) They needed shooting last year when they were building around Jackson Griffin and Drummond but after this year they have the chance to get rid of two players and start something new. No point building around those 3 who take up so much money and offer so little wins. Griffin is the better of the lot and on the longest deal keep him and build around that. Personally I reckon trade Drummond for Haywood and once Jackson expires look to bring in Teague plus some roles players like Noel, KCP and Bertans
1. Teague
2. Kennard
3. Haywood
4. Griffin
5. Noel
Drummond should never settle for peanuts man, 3/60 is ridiculous… 145/4 is more like it, he is one of the best centers in the league, D’lo is very good but a PG, Hayward & DeRozan are older & less athletic, DeRozan at least is an all-star, Hayward is a wash out guy that never was that good to start of.
What are you on? No one in the league is paying him 145/4. He’s a good centre but he is just a stat sheet stuffer, he can shoot mid range or 3, he should be better on d but he isn’t. Getting Dlo for Drummond and a first round pick would be a really good deal for the pistons. Haywood was an all star who averaged 22p5r5a so you can’t say he was never that good to start off.
Pistons should trade him, little offensive game and his defense isn’t good. He’s an empty stats guy
If they offer him a 3/60 he should take it, yet opt out of 1/27?? Meanwhile the Pistons should just wait for offers?– like they have for years.
Disagreeing. Reggie, Blake, Drummond are all athletic. They don’t need more of that, they need shooting.
Beacuse if drumond opt into his one year deal he will push him self into a free agent class with much more talent and get a lesser deal.
Good point. The FA market was big 2019, will be small 2020, then big again.
A 3/60 is much lower than what he would think he could get as FA. So, it could be motivating, getting him mad & focussed & trying to improve the offer. But it could also backfire, making him look forward to the next team.
Hard to say what he’s actually worth.
The chances of Anthony Davis opting out of his $28.8M deal next summer are far greater than people think. If he is truly serious about wanting to win a title, he will leave LA. There is a lot of speculation that he may sign with the Knicks, who did far better in free agency this year than they were given credit for.
Surely your joking. LA is now in the top 5 teams to win it now with lebron Kuzma green and co. The Knicks failed in FA with everyone. Julius Randle is nice but not an elite player. I know AD has said he’s interested in Chicago but that won’t happen for many years after at least 1 or 2 rings with the Lakers.
All they did in free agency was sign guys there could move on from
AD ain’t going nowhere. He’ll opt out, and resign for every cent they can offer him.
On a team of shooters he’d be great. So yea GSW would be an ideal landing spot from a fit perspective. Open spots for starters: Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Sacramento, Wizards, Toronto in 1 year.
Maybe they dump Snell along the way.
Drummond’s BPM stat rates him about as good as Marc Gasol or Clint Capela. That makes him an average center, maybe slightly above or slightly below. He’s also almost 26.
Drummond isn’t going to get big money from Toronto, Atlanta, Memphis, or Cleveland next summer. He’s too old for those teams. He’s also not going to get big money in 2021, because he’ll be almost 28 by then.
Detroit should offer him an extension that starts at $20 mill with a decreasing salary, and see what he says. If he’s not interested, they can trade him to a team that needs a center and get some assets this Feb.
But there’s no need to get stupid for the guy – he’s an average player on a mediocre team. You don’t really lose anything if a guy like that leaves.
Agree with most of what you say but a mediocre team shouldn’t pay an average player 20 mil if it wants to get better hahaha
As the noted basketball philosopher Kawhi said, Board man gets paid! (Drummond is by far the league leader in contested rebounds.)
I cannot fully disagree with your conclusion though. It will be a tough call for GM Stefanski, one where he will likely be wrong no matter what, and one that no other team will take off his hands in a trade.
Dunno anything about the guy because I haven’t watched Pistons B-ball in a tall minute. However I love watching Blake. I don’t think Pistons would have to face a long rebuild losing Andre. If weak free agency means he might end up in OKC then is it going to be sad that it isn’t a Paul/Griffin reunion? But don’t the Lakers wish they had Drummond, Steven Adams, or others right now?
The little I have seen of Blake and Drummonds’ play has me believe that Andre is in similar league to DeAndre Jordan and Dwight Howard but just a little bit better, newer & fresher. If I have a partial belief that the Phoenix Suns are going to surprise this year then I still think Pistons with Blake & Drummond will win over them and a lot of other teams, too.
As someone who has watched a ton of Drummond, he’s a better rebounder than DeAndre Jordan and Dwight Howard in his prime, but he’s worse at both ends overall than Howard was. And his shot selection is very bad at times, which makes him worse overall on that end than DeAndre.
His physical talent is off-the-charts, but his basketball IQ in general is very low. Seems to think he’s capable of lots of things that he isn’t, ala competing in the all-star game skills competition and spending much of the last two off-seasons trying to develop a 3-point shot. (when he’s 100% incapable of scoring from even 5 feet away from the basket)
Yes, I suspect Drummond does not have ticket-selling on his side for Stefanski’s decisions to be made on him.
Apologies ahead of time but IMO Piston players of late have not been smart players and trying to be so will not help them in a win-or-rebuild year. They have to get focussed and get rolling this year.
In a thin FA market Detroit will probably be outbid for Drummond if the whole thing does not break through.
Would he sell more tickets for them if they grab Amare Stoudamire? Maybe Amare’s the spark to get them lit. Then they could get smart; they’re even going to play Derrick Rose this year. Isn’t that enough to sell tickets?