Andre Drummond

Andre Drummond showcased some quick reflexes when it came to saving his two-year-old son.

The Philadelphia 76ers center posted a security camera video of himself jumping in the pool after his son, Deon, slid in:

Drummond was fully dressed at the time, but the 6'10", 279-pound athlete showed no hesitation going into the pool to retrieve his son.

The two-time NBA All-Star turned 28 years old on Tuesday and is heading into his first year in Philadelphia after signing a one-year deal with the team last week. He is looking for a fresh start in his career after bouncing between the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers the past two seasons. 

Andre Drummond says his so-called feud with new Philadelphia 76ers teammate Joel Embiid was much ado about nothing.

“For me, there was never any real beef," Drummond told reporters Thursday. "... The way we play, sometimes we talk, I don't think it goes any further than that. … We're on the same team now.

"I have no malice toward Joel and I’m excited to be on the same team as him and make this work," he later added.

The Sixers signed Drummond to a one-year contract for the veteran's minimum this week. He will serve as Embiiid's primary backup, replacing Dwight Howard, who returned to the Los Angeles Lakers.

After Drummond's signing was announced, social media was flooded with posts referencing past run-ins between the new teammates.  In particular, a 2018 Embiid tweet calling Drummond a "bum" resurfaced.

Embiid also accused Drummond of not playing defense in 2017.

“Defensively, he doesn’t play any defense. When we started the game, he was being aggressive and he was talking, too. … So what I was like [in my mind] ‘You want to do that? I’m going to kick your [butt] then. So that’s what I did," Embiid said then. 

While it would be easy to accuse Drummond of trying to tone down the rivalry now that they're teammates, the two-time All-Star has been consistent in saying their "beef" was all basketball. In a B/R AMA last March, Drummond said the pair "never had a problem."

Andre Drummond is heading to the Philadelphia 76ers after agreeing to a one-year contract, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. It will be for the league minimum, per Kyle Neubeck of Philly Voice. 

Once rivals, Drummond and Joel Embiid will now be sharing the same bench. 

Drummond's last few years have illustrated the plight of traditional centers in the current NBA.

The Detroit Pistons traded him to the Cleveland Cavaliers for pennies on the dollar (Brandon Knight, John Henson and a 2023 second-round pick) in large part to avoid having to pay out his $28.7 million player option for 2020-21.

In February, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst reported the Cavs were sitting the two-time All-Star with an eye toward shipping him out ahead of the trade deadline. No trade materialized, and Cleveland had to absorb almost all of his salary to buy him. He subsequently signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Drummond remains a productive center. He averaged 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in 25 games with the Cavaliers before putting up 11.9 points and 10.2 boards in 21 appearances with the Lakers. Between the two stops, he also shot 49.3 percent and averaged 1.1 blocks.

Unfortunately for the 27-year-old, the biggest limitations in his game remained.

Drummond took only eight three-pointers last season and missed them all. According to NBA.com, 517 of his 552 field-goal attempts came within 10 feet of the basket.

Despite his 6'10", 279-pound frame, he isn't a dominant defender, either. Opposing players shot 51.7 percent from the field when matched up against him, per NBA.com.

Whereas some centers have successfully adapted their games to fit with the strategic trends, Drummond seems incapable of doing so.

Sports Illustrated's Chris Herring also examined how his rebounding, one of his best skills, doesn't translate to much success. Teams are focusing more on getting players back on defense rather than crashing the glass. In addition, bigger centers are finding fewer rebound opportunities with a higher volume of three-pointers going up:

"And even when clubs do vie for offensive rebounds, because of the longer shots they're taking, the misfires are likelier to bounce toward the perimeter than in previous eras. It means rebounders need more range. 'Maybe 10 or 12 years ago, you'd only see a few types of guys going for [offensive boards]. Now, you see perimeter guys with that freedom,' says Steve Clifford, who coaches the Magic. 'With all the long rebounds now, there's a larger area defensively you have to track in order to finish possessions.'"

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers, who played from 1983-96, told Herring that Drummond "would have fit right in with that generation of play," implying how he has become outmoded to some extent.

The Utah Jazz handed Rudy Gobert a five-year, $205 million extension despite him skewing toward a more traditional center mold. Unlike Drummond, though, the Frenchman is an elite defensive player who thrives in the pick and roll.

All of that is to say Drummond was inevitably going to see his next contract fall precipitously from the five-year max deal he got from the Pistons. And that's before factoring in the continued financial impact from the COVID-19 pandemic.

To some extent, his previous contract may have swung the discourse about his game so far in one direction that it obscured how he can help a team. While the 2012 first-round pick isn't a top-tier center, he isn't utterly devoid of value. 

That Drummond is going to Philadelphia, where he'll presumably back up Embiid, is a sign of how far his stock has fallen.

The 2020-21 season was eventful for Andre Drummond. 

A two-time All-Star, Drummond began the year with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He appeared in 25 games with them before being shut down in February to work toward a buyout. 

The buyout occurred on March 26, opening the door for Drummond to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. He started all 27 games played for the Lakers, including the play-in tournament win over the Golden State Warriors and first five playoff games against the Phoenix Suns. 

As Drummond prepares for the start of free agency next month, the 27-year-old sat down with B/R for an AMA to discuss topics ranging from his move to Los Angeles, playing with LeBron James, what he's seen from Deandre Ayton and more. 

The following is the full transcript from the AMA session.

Tell me about your NFT: 

There is 3 really cool experiences. One is a 1/1 experience. You get to come out, meet me, get to create a shoe I play in and then get them signed by me after I play in them. The second has 32 spots and is a 2K tournament hosted by Ronnie 2K and the winner gets to give me a 10 minute pitch on where I’m going next year. The last one is just the digital experience -- 250 slots.

@Logan316 What’s your all-time starting 5 out of ONLY guys you’ve played with? 

Reggie Jackson, Stanley Johnson, LeBron, AD.

@Not_KyrieIrving How did it feel to play with LeBron and AD after all these years rather then go up against them? 

I’ve known AD for a long time. We’ve been friends since kids. LeBron James is a guy I always wanted to play with since I was a kid. It’s pretty cool, I’ll be able to tell my kids I got to play with one of the best players in the world. I appreciate everything they did for me this year.

@Jmachek11 What problems does Deandre Ayton present in the playoffs having faced him? 

@Antonio16rossi What player did you model your game after as a kid? 

Shawn kemp 

@Lavelabe What was your favorite experience at UConn? 

Just meeting all types of different people. I grew up in a small town, so with 10k, 20k people, it’s a lot to process.

@TheSpidaMan Did you ever have a welcome to the NBA moment and if so what was it?

Playing Dwight Howard for the first time. He gave me 30 and 25. I didn’t like that at all. He made me get in the weight room. That’s why I started bullying people -  because of him.

@rutilab What was your favorite memory with the Pistons?

Our first playoff experience. Taking them back there from I think ‘04 was the last time they had been there, so bringing them back to have that experience again was special.

@fitchkarma66 Which young player reminds you of yourself?

Ayton, minus the jumpshot. Just the aggression and how physical he is as a player.

@80hms If you had a time machine, what era would you play ball in?

The 90s, where I could fight. That would be fun. You can’t touch people now in the game. I want to start a fight, start a brawl. 

@BR_Betting Best team casino/gambling story?

I think the whole week I spent in Vegas with the USA team, just watching them on the Craps table. I don’t think I’ve ever watched so much money won and lost in one second. Just watching that as a 22-year-old was eye opening. A few guys walked away winners, majority of them lost.

@Hudaon_Mire Who is the funniest guy in the Lakers locker room?

Jared Dudley. It’s just him. Everything he does or says becomes funny for no reason.

@belacsmoon What is your favorite way to de-stress and prepare for a game?

Sleep. I feel like that’s the only escape at this point. Unless I meditate.

@Thedudeyaknow Funniest chant you’ve ever heard from a crowd?

In high school they called me Little Drummond Boy. The way they were saying it, sounded like a bad thing. 

Rapid Fire:

@SFB_ CFA or Popeyes? 

CFA

@yifi11 What would you be doing if not for the NBA? 

Acting

@9coco9 Favorite pre-game meal?

When my mom makes Lobster and mashed potatoes.

@not_deucetatum Favorite movie? 

Training Day

@just_in_time If you had a pet penguin, what are you naming it?

Milo

@Maloas23 Are you rooting for anyone in the NBA Finals? 

Suns. Suns in 4.

After a relatively disappointing stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, Andre Drummond complained about his playing time on Instagram Tuesday:

Drummond joined the Lakers in March after agreeing to a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was benched for more than a month in Cleveland as the team tried to work out a trade, but the team never found a deal before he was waived.

The center started every game he played with the Lakers but averaged just 24.8 minutes per game during the regular season and 21 minutes in the playoffs. He did not play in his team's Game 6 loss to the Phoenix Suns as Los Angeles was eliminated from the postseason.

The complaints against head coach Frank Vogel likely means Drummond won't be re-signing with the Lakers as a free agent this offseason.

The 27-year-old has been productive when given the chance in his career, especially on the defensive end, with averages of 13.7 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.4 steals per game across nine years in the NBA. He has led the league in rebounding four times and has been named an All-Star twice.

Drummond averaged 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in 25 games with Cleveland this season before he was held to just 11.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in Los Angeles.

The veteran will clearly seek a more consistent role in his next location.

Andre Drummond didn't even play in the Los Angeles Lakers' season-ending Game 6 loss to the Phoenix Suns in the first round, but the idea of him coming back on a minimum deal is apparently outlandish.

He responded "you drunk" on Instagram when someone brought up such a notion, per Robert Marvi of Lakers Daily.

The Lakers added Drummond after he agreed to a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he started all 21 games he played for the Purple and Gold during the regular season.

At his best, he is someone who can control the glass, protect the rim and provide interior scoring, but he is also a poor shooter and clogs the lane for the likes of Anthony Davis and LeBron James when they attack the basket.

Even with solid regular-season averages of 11.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game for the Lakers, Drummond didn't help the defending champions accomplish their goals in the playoffs and was a liability at times.

If he is going to come back, though, it may take more than the minimum for Los Angeles.

Andre Drummond did not play in the Los Angeles Lakers' season-ending loss to the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of their first-round series.

That reportedly is a long way off from what he was promised when the Purple and Gold recruited him in free agency.

According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the team promised Drummond a starting role when they signed him. Alas, he was inconsistent throughout the season and playoffs and was part of a number of moves for the defending champions that did not work out as planned.

Stein noted that after acquiring Drummond, Montrezl Harrell, Marc Gasol and Wes Matthews, the Lakers likely will have to pay Dennis Schroder "more than they'd like to in free agency—after Schroder turned down a four-year extension offer worth more than $80 million during the season—or lose him without the means to sign a suitable replacement" without much salary-cap flexibility.

Drummond did start all 21 games he played for the Lakers during the regular season after the big man agreed to a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

On paper, the addition made some sense for the Lakers. After all, Drummond is a two-time All-Star and four-time rebounding champion who can help protect the rim, score on the blocks, control the glass and provide injury insurance for Anthony Davis.

He was solid statistically at 11.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game for the Lakers in the regular season, but he also brought plenty of limitations as a poor shooter who couldn't space the floor and would often clog the lane.

His presence also gave Davis less room to operate and didn't allow Los Angeles to exploit as many matchup issues with either AD at the center or the better-shooting Gasol on the floor.

Drummond averaged just 21.0 minutes in the five games he did play against Phoenix, and the Lakers went home much earlier than expected by many as the defending champions with LeBron James and Davis.