Andre Drummond

The Los Angeles Lakers will reportedly head into Thursday's 2021 NBA trade deadline with a "long-term" outlook despite the high-ankle sprain suffered by LeBron James in Saturday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday on Get Up the Lakers likely aren't going to alter their deadline plans with James joining Anthony Davis on the sideline because both players should be back from their respective injuries before the playoffs.

Instead, L.A. could be a more minor player at the deadline with an eye on the buyout market afterward, including a possible pursuit of Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond, per Woj:

"I don't know that [James and Davis' injuries] impacts it because they know they're going to get both guys back and they have to build the team and make moves that are designed for the long-term, not for a short stretch of time here. Listen, the Lakers have been active in the trade market, but I think for them the buyout market after the trade deadline is where they can really impact because then you're adding players without having to lose anyone in a trade or have to trade out assets. Certainly, Andre Drummond remains a real big target for the Lakers if he's bought out."

Wojnarowski also mentioned on Get Up that James could be out for three-to-four weeks with the ankle injury, while Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported Davis may remain sidelined until early April and "possibly beyond" with his Achilles and calf injuries. He last played Feb. 14.

Being without their superstar duo raised questions about whether the Lakers would become more aggressive in the days leading up to the deadline, but it doesn't sound like that will be the case.

Instead, L.A. will wait to see which players are bought out following the deadline to see whether it can make a marquee addition and otherwise hope it doesn't lose too much ground in the highly competitive Western Conference while waiting on James and Davis to return.

The Lakers are third in the standings at 28-15, but there is little separation as they only hold a four-game lead over the seventh-placed San Antonio Spurs. At minimum, they want to remain somewhere in the top six to avoid the play-in tournament before the playoffs.

Based on Haynes' timeline, the earliest Davis could return is around April 6 against the Toronto Raptors. That means the Lakers have to prepare for at least seven more games without their top two players, so there's a lot of pressure on the likes of Dennis Schroder, Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Kuzma to hold down the fort.

Meanwhile, given the heavy speculation Los Angeles will be a major player for Drummond if he hits the free-agent market with a buyout, it will be interesting to see whether a fellow contender decides to make a more significant push to land him via trade over the next few days.

The two-time All-Star's contract carries a $28.8 million cap hit for the 2020-21 season, which creates some logistical issues for a deal, but trading for him could upgrade a team's frontcourt and also keep him away from a fellow championship hopeful in the Lakers.

That said, as long as James and Davis are healthy and prepared to log major minutes in the playoffs, the reigning champions will be the team to beat heading into the postseason.

With just four days before the NBA trade deadline, the Dallas Mavericks are reportedly showing interest in Andre Drummond.

Per The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor, the Mavs have held talks with the Cleveland Cavaliers about potentially acquiring the two-time All-Star.

Drummond has been frequently mentioned as a buyout candidate given the potential difficulties that interested teams might have in acquiring his salary for the rest of this season. The 27-year-old is making $28.75 million in 2020-21, the final season of his five-year, $127.2 million deal.

O'Connor noted that Cleveland wants at least a second-round draft pick "or more if a long-term salary is included" in a trade.

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported Sunday that "there's a growing expectation" around the league that Drummond will get bought out, though the Cavs remain hopeful a trade can get worked out because they "still believe there's enough interest" in him.

Last month, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst reported the Cavaliers were going to hold Drummond out of games as they worked to find a trade partner.

The Mavs are in the market for someone who can provide size and rebounding help. They rank 25th in the NBA with 42.7 rebounds per game and are tied for 26th in offensive rebounds (8.2 per game).

Cleveland acquired Drummond from the Detroit Pistons in February 2020. He was averaging 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in 25 starts this season before being shut down.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been working to trade Andre Drummond for more than a month, but as the trade deadline approaches, they may have to turn to a buyout to shed him from the roster.

According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the team still thinks it will find an offer for the big by Thursday, but "there's a growing expectation" elsewhere in the league that Drummond will be bought out of his contract. 

The difficulty in finding a trade partner isn't based on Drummond's on-court abilities. The 27-year-old was averaging 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game in 25 outings before the Cavaliers started holding him out of the lineup in February.

It's the financial commitment that comes with him that has teams holding off, per Fedor. Drummond is due $28.75 million in the final year of the five-year, $127.2 million deal he signed with the Detroit Pistons back in 2016 (via Spotrac). 

Fedor wrote that "most teams interested are playoff contenders" and aren't looking to tear down their roster in order to make room for Drummond and his paycheck. But one executive told Fedor that teams who have been linked to the big in a trade—including the Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors—may put together a deal at the last minute because they don't want to risk losing out on Drummond when he hits the free-agent market in the event of a buyout.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets are at the "top of the list" to sign him if negotiations reach the buyout stage (h/t Jonathan Adams of Heavy.com).

The Cavs have until Thursday to figure something out on the trade front. 

Amid rumors the New York Knicks are in the hunt for Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond, one opposing team doesn't think that's the best idea for a team that is built around All-Star Julius Randle. 

"I don’t love it for Randle," the team told Ian Begley of SNY. "Drummond plays close to the rim, so you’re limiting what Randle can do. Long-term, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me." 

The Cavaliers have held the two-time All-Star out of games since Feb. 15 as they embarked on an attempt to find trade partners for Drummond, who averaged 17.5 pounds and 13.5 rebounds through 25 games this season.

In a trade, they're reportedly seeking a second-round pick, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. Drummond is due $28.7 million this season, the final year of his deal. 

New York is said to be coming into play after the trade deadline. According to Charania, the Knicks are open to offering Drummond a multiyear contract if he becomes a free agent via a buyout with the Cavs. Begley reported that more recent buzz around the team has "downplayed the possibility" of a Drummond signing, citing complications for other transactions. 

This isn't the first time that the Knicks have had their name tossed around with Drummond. Per Begley, they were in trade conversations for the star before last year's trade deadline. 

Randle, who earned his first All-Star selection this season, has averaged 23.2 points and 11.0 rebounds per game to lead the Knicks to a 20-20 record.

While Andre Drummond has frequently been linked to a number of top-tier playoff contenders if he gets bought out by the Cleveland Cavaliers, one under-the-radar team is reportedly monitoring the two-time All-Star.   

Per Fred Katz and David Aldridge of The Athletic, the Washington Wizards are "keeping an eye" on Drummond in case he receives a buyout. 

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported on Monday that the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets are "believed to be" the top suitors for Drummond if he becomes a free agent, but the New York Knicks have "explored the possibility" of acquiring him.

Charania noted New York could potentially try to entice Drummond by making him a multiyear contract offer. 

The Lakers and Nets are two obvious landing spots. Both teams can use a center who can protect the rim and get rebounds. They are arguably the top contenders to represent their respective conferences in the NBA Finals if they are healthy in the playoffs. 

The Wizards' potential interest is a surprise because of where they are in the Eastern Conference standings. Their 14-24 record is tied with Cleveland for 12th, though they are only three games behind the Indiana Pacers for the final spot in the play-in tournament. 

Drummond hasn't appeared in a game since Feb. 12 as the Cavs explore trade opportunities for the 27-year-old. He is averaging 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds on 47.4 percent shooting in 25 starts this season. 

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly keeping an eye on Hassan Whiteside's status even as they continue to monitor Andre Drummond.  

Per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, the Lakers are "monitoring the developments" with Whiteside and the Sacramento Kings as a potential "contingency plan" if they can't get Drummond.

The market for Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond is reportedly expanding if he gets bought out after the March 25 NBA trade deadline.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the New York Knicks have joined the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets as teams interested in the two-time All-Star.

Charania noted the Lakers and Nets are "believed" to be the top suitors for Drummond, but the Knicks could potentially entice him by offering him a multiyear deal, assuming he gets bought out by Cleveland.

Drummond hasn't appeared in a game for the Cavs since Feb. 12. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst reported the team was holding him out as it worked with his representatives on a trade. 

Windhorst said on a March 9 episode of SportsCenter the Cavaliers would like to receive either a young player or a draft pick for Drummond. Cleveland previously acquired him from the Detroit Pistons in February 2020, and the 27-year-old is making $28.75 million in the final year of his contract.

The Knicks have emerged as a surprise playoff contender in the Eastern Conference at 20-19 (seventh) and could use a conventional big like Drummond. The Lakers, meanwhile, need more size on the inside with Anthony Davis expected to miss at least two more weeks with a strained calf. And the Nets are also looking for another big man to pair with DeAndre Jordan and provide interior defense.

Drummond was averaging 17.5 points on 47.4 percent shooting and 13.5 rebounds per game in 25 games this season.

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly in the market for frontcourt help, but that doesn't mean a trade of any kind is imminent.

On Friday's episode of the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN's Brian Windhorst said he does not expect the Lakers to make a trade despite their desire to add a big man.

L.A.'s reported interest in bigs may be in relation to Anthony Davis' health. He missed the last nine games before the All-Star break with calf and Achilles injuries and is also set to miss Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers.

L.A. has struggled mightily during Davis' absence, going 3-6 in its final nine games before the break. Among the losses were games against the Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings, both teams that are lingering well outside the playoff places.

The Lakers apparent want for frontcourt depth could be a sign that Davis' injuries are worse than originally thought, or it could simply be a case of the Lakers wanting some insurance and/or an upgrade over Marc Gasol.

The signing of Gasol was heralded as a big move for the Lakers during the offseason and one that would offset the losses of Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee.

Gasol has not performed up to expectations, though, averaging just 4.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 blocks in over 20 minutes per game.

Outside of Davis and Gasol, the Lakers have Montrezl Harrell in a sixth-man role, as well as Markieff Morris, who plays power forward minutes off the bench.

The Lakers would benefit from some reinforcements up front, although Windhorst's report suggests the reigning NBA champions may not get any.

Even if they don't make a trade, though, the Lakers could potentially be major players on the buyout market should any notable bigs hit free agency in that manner.

One potential option is Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond if the Cavs are unable to find a trade partner before the March 25 deadline.

Marc Stein of the New York Times reported this week that there is "optimism" within the Lakers that Drummond will give signing with L.A. "strong consideration" should he get a buyout.

Drummond is a two-time All-Star and four-time rebounding champion, and he would undoubtedly be an ideal fit for a Lakers team that needs either a running mate for Davis or a potential replacement should his injury issues persist.

The Los Angeles Lakers have "serious interest" in Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

During an appearance on Undisputed, Haynes reported the Lakers' interest, adding that the Brooklyn Nets also are keeping an eye on Drummond as a potential addition (0:25 mark):

Unless the Cavaliers go the buyout route with Drummond, however, it's unlikely he'd end up with the Lakers via trade, given his sizeable $28.7 million contract. 

And the Cavs, at least reportedly, aren't interested in "giving him away," as ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on SportsCenter Tuesday. Windhorst added that the Cavs have received "legitimate offers" for the big man but are "holding out" to get a draft pick, likely a second-rounder, and a young player in a deal (3:54 mark):

Drummond has been away from the Cavs for the last nine games, with the team deciding to move on from the veteran center mid-February and pivot to Jarrett Allen as the future of the position. 

As ESPN's Windhorst and Adrian Wojnarowski reported at the time, the Cavs "believe it's unfair to Drummond to limit his minutes as the organization transitions to Allen" and "decided together that Drummond would remain with the team but would no longer be active for games."

He'd certainly be an upgrade in Los Angeles, where Marc Gasol hasn't had the best of seasons. Here's how the two stack up thus far this season:

• Drummond: 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.2 blocks, 1.6 steals, 47.4 percent from the field, 0-of-8 from three, 28.9 minutes per game. 
• Gasol: 4.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 blocks, 0.5 steals, 40.3 percent from the field, 36.5 percent from three, 20.1 minutes per game.

The Lakers need more from the center position, period. Gasol has been disappointing, while Montrezl Harrell has limitations, primarily on the defensive end. Drummond wouldn't exactly help the team's floor-spacing, but he would provide elite rebounding, solid rim-protection and scoring around the rim.

Barring a buyout, however, it's hard to envision him ending up with the Lakers.  

The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly intent on maximizing value for center Andre Drummond before parting ways with him ahead of the March 25 NBA trade deadline. 

During an appearance on SportsCenter (beginning at the 3:54 mark), ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst said the Cavs have told interested teams that they are not "giving [Drummond] away" for nothing:

Windhorst added that the Cavaliers have said they have legitimate offers for Drummond and are holding out for either a young player or a draft pick—likely a second-rounder.

The Cavs have been sitting Drummond for nearly a month in anticipation of a trade and he hasn't dressed for the team's past nine games.

Given that the Cavaliers have already come this far, it's no surprise Windhorst noted that they are willing to take it all the way down to the March 25 deadline before trading him in order to get the most they can out of him.

Before Cleveland decided to sit Drummond, the two-time All-Star was enjoying another strong season. In 25 games, he was averaging 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks, while shooting 47.4 percent from the field.

Drummond entered the season having won the rebounding title in three consecutive seasons and four of the previous five seasons, meaning any team with a need in the frontcourt could benefit from his arrival.

The 27-year-old veteran is in the final year of his contract, so he could be a rental to the team that acquires him. That is perhaps part of the reason why his value isn't particularly high on the trade market.

Last season, the Cavs essentially got Drummond for pennies on the dollar, as they sent a 2023 second-round pick and spare parts John Henson and Brandon Knight to the Detroit Pistons for him.

The Cavs no longer have a clear need for Drummond, as they acquired center Jarrett Allen from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the four-team deal that sent James Harden from the Houston Rockets to Brooklyn.

Allen is younger than Drummond at 22, and he has played well since arriving in Cleveland with averages of 14.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 blocks per game.

Also, the Cavs have tumbled to 13th in the Eastern Conference at 14-22 since a surprisingly strong start, meaning the playoffs may no longer be a priority this season.

The Cavaliers established last month that they were moving on from Drummond, but even though every other NBA team knows they are parting ways with him, the Cavs are clearly intent on milking Drummond for all he is worth on the trade market.