The Lakers are considered a “strong frontrunner” to sign center Andre Drummond when he clears waivers, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The team’s star players have been trying to convince Drummond to join them and he is close to making a decision, according to sources (Twitter link).
Drummond finalized a buyout with the Cavaliers on Friday and will officially clear waivers on Sunday evening.
The Lakers can’t give Drummond more than the veteran’s minimum, but they have a starting job to offer as well as a chance to compete for a title. He has only been to the playoffs twice in his nine NBA seasons.
Drummond met recently with the Celtics, who are also a contender for his services. Boston is in the market for help at center after trading Daniel Theis on Thursday.
The Knicks pulled out of the Drummond sweepstakes, deciding against getting into a bidding war, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. With $15MM in cap space, New York is in position to make Drummond the best offer, but the Knicks have decided to use those resources elsewhere.
Berman states that team officials have been watching film on Drummond to determine how he would fit alongside Julius Randle and whether he would be worth the investment if it means taking Mitchell Robinson out of the starting lineup. The Knicks decided they’re set at center with Robinson, Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson providing a solid defensive presence.
New York could still be active on the buyout market, a source tells Berman. Point guard Jeff Teague, who was waived today by the Magic, played for Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota. Other names to watch are small forward Otto Porter, who was traded to the Magic on Thursday and still remains with the team, and center Gorgui Dieng, who was waived Friday by the Grizzlies.
that’s cute nets in 5
That cute just because you got a older La who isn’t the same and a past his prime Blake doesn’t mean anything
Lmao
Let’s see if kyrie doesn’t walk out on the team for personal reasons for a 3rd time before the playoffs… what’s up with Kd? He’s missed a lot of time for a strained hamstring.. lebron dials in during the playoffs.. has Kyrie? Has harden? Will Kd be healthy because I’d hes not, nets are in big trouble..
nets would destroy lakers..KD would own lebron again and hit daggers on him..lebron cant switch either
You mean like the last time they met in the Finals when Lebron led his team to victory over a stacked Warriors team, leading to Durant ultimately bolting from Golden State?
You’re confused…Lebron didn’t beat the warriors when KD was there… but I do think Lakers can beat nets… hope that’s the series we get
Ah, yeah, I forgot that was the year the Warriors won 73 games, and before Durant joined them.
Nets will be lucky if they get past the 6ers
NO ONE on the Nets has ever owned a single series in the playoffs. The best case can be made for KD’s Finals MVP run, but to pretend LeBron wasn’t the best player on the court & real MVP, even in a loss, is just ignorant. Only other case of coming close to owning just a single game in the playoffs was when Kyrie hit the game-winner in 6 when the Cavs came back from 3-1… Just a whole ‘nother level of MENTAL that all those dudes that have joined Brooklyn haven’t shown. Adding a glass monster like Drummond to a rim protecting monster like AD & the very strong collective perimeter defense of LBJ, KCP, Matthews, Caruso, THT, & Schroeder will be a BIG get. No need to make a case for the Lakers offensive efficiency. What’s being mainly overlooked is team continuity/chemistry; don’t feel the Nets will ever figure that out. And most importantly, the Lakers have TWO players that’ve owned series after series under playoff pressure… Get past Philly/Mil/Bos & maybe we’ll get to find out. If so? Lakers in 6.
Nets aren’t making the finals
If he want to start and have a good shot to win why not . He can get his money in the off season .
thats cute nets in 5
Years?
Decades.
Nets are the clippers of the East.
It’s going to be hilarious when Giannis finally stands up in the playoffs and that causes the Nets to implode entirely and end up losing all 3 of the big stars and are rebuilding next year.
Drummond saves the Laker Franchise in 2021 .
LA ready to build a statue of him if he signs with Team.
Bron offered a % of the Red Sox lol.
All the crying and and BS Laker fans have talked about Drummond over the yrs. All are now eating his shorts. Drummond the GOAT of 2021 Laker Nation .
You gotta love it when life gets the last word on all the genius fans in the world…….. Love this game
cute… Yikes!!!
Ive only been here 2 years but I check every Laker article…Ive honestly never heard a peep about Drummond…….
Lakers fans, to be fair tho, are typically (not all) a little more delusional and aim higher on who they think we will get than Andre Drummond; and yes its usually for peanuts or doesn’t even abide by NBA trading rules
“eating his shorts.” ??? Lol lol
Why? Don’t the Nets want him?
Really. …….
Why would they need him when they just sign la where would he play is this a joke ??
Don’t underestimate jimmy buckets in the playoffs.. nets are in a weak eastern conference.. let’s see them step up when playoffs happen.. all this talk about the nets.. they haven’t done anything..
It’s going to be funny watching Embiid eat Aldridge in a few months.
aldridge would actually have to get on the court before embiid could devour him
I bet Gasol is the one who is trying to talk Drummond into coming the most. Dude definitely needs more naps.
I thought so, especially since the nets got Aldridge.
Celtics traded Daniel Thies to downgrade the roster?
I just don’t like the move
Rose, again, is given a chance to do something stupid, against the backdrop of a media drumbeat. Again, he passes. Becoming a habit, a good one.
Appears Drummond wasn’t enamored with the idea of going to the Nets. Whether that was before or after (his agent) speaking with them, who knows. Could have been personalities (he’s not FOK) or style of play (in terms of how he might be employed).
This is what’s bad about the NBA. No parity. Lakers or Nets for the next x amount of years
Bron will be 37 in Dec. This could be last yr.
I mean LeBron isn’t retiring…he signed a contract extension just recently, is still playing at a MVP level, and has stated that it would be nice to be able to play in the NBA at the same time as his son. He’s been remarkably healthy for most of his career so it’s not like his body is at the point where it just constantly breaks down.
idk he’s 36 and about to be out 4-6 wks with a serious ankle sprain
lets see how he looks in apr-may
LeBron is and will continue to be like Tom Brady, playing at a sick high level into his 40s.
its been a bad bet to think lebron will age
but his 40s??? idk. hes not a pocket qb.
I don’t see it so black and white, Lakers have so many variables that have to all go right, I don’t think they are seeing the finals this year-
Nets haven’t played together yet or faced any adversity – If Mil Mia Brk can split the first 5 I like the backbones better of those 3 teams in a 3 game series when everyone starts tightening up
first 4 !
Brooklyn hasn’t been relevant since… well never. Lakers need to get healthy and play at full strength or they will have no shot of even getting to the finals. But a healthy Lebron an AD and anything can happen.