CHICAGO – Destroying the Los Angeles Lakers will not be easy – if they are totally healthy. There is a reason why defending champions are considered to be favorites in betting. Combining the star power of the Brooklyn Nets – Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden – can be difficult for candidates for the Eastern Conference, although the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks are currently in higher positions in the standings.
Now imagine anyone with Andre Drummond.
This is the Cleveland Cavaliers’ best – and only – advantage as the front line continues to scour the league for a potential trading partner. Several sources who spoke to cleveland.com saw the chances of a Drummond deal as a 50-50 proposition on Wednesday night. The other half of this equation is an acquisition – the path that leads Drummond to choose his next team.
The widespread belief if the purchase occurs: the Lakers and the Nets would be ahead, defeating the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Boston Celtics, the New York Knicks, the Miami Heat or any other team that was connected during this crazy month .
Do any of these teams, who consider themselves competitors, want to be idle and allow the Lakers – without a cap and with few resources – to meet their most urgent needs? The same goes for the Nets, who have been looking for another inner presence since they negotiated Jarrett Allen in the exchange for Harden. Brooklyn and Los Angeles. Great markets. Lots of talent. An opportunity to play great minutes. The chance for a ring. How does Drummond put that down? Wow, ESPN reported that he was already at the Los Angeles – and it certainly wasn’t to find his Cleveland teammates on the track on Thursday morning.
Even though Drummond is not the best stylistic fit alongside LeBron James because of his propensity to use offensive possessions with after-touches, face-up and strange isolation attacks, in addition to the desire to play a big role and claim a high rating of use, the Lakers’ starting center point is ridiculous, averaging 4.8 tiny points in 43.5% of pitches and 4.0 rebounds. Drummond with Cavs: 17.5 points on 47.4% of the field and 13.5 boards.
There is an initial show waiting for him, and given the other options these days, this addition would only make Los Angeles more formidable.
Nets need cheap playable bodies. They’ve already added Drummond’s former teammate, Blake Griffin, and have done a lot more of the lineup shuffling. Iman Shumpert. Norvel Pelle. Noah Vonleh. Tyler Cook. Andre Roberson. Alize Johnson. Brooklyn has been trying to combine the back half of its rotation with spare parts. Given the cost of acquiring Harden, it does not seem likely to have an impactful deal on Thursday. As in Los Angeles, Drummond could land a considerable role with the Nets.
That’s where Drummond’s other suitors come in. Want to improve the attack court and keep you away from Los Angeles or Brooklyn? Negotiate for him. This is probably the only option.
The Dallas Morning News reported the Mavericks’ interest. But only through purchase. Dallas is currently the seventh seed of the Western Conference. The Lakers are a game and a half from second place. The Mavericks could go up. The Lakers fell due to an injury to James and Anthony Davis. Anyway, Dallas-LA could be a series of playoffs in the first round. If the Mavericks, who have obvious handicaps and some expiring contracts to match their wages, like Drummond enough to consider signing it, why not pay the low price in a negotiation?
It is also worth highlighting the Knicks, who are a wildcard because of their salary limit. New York, with former Cavaliers executive Brock Aller in office, is $ 15 million below the limit, which gives her two routes that others cannot follow.
In a Drummond deal, the Knicks don’t have to match their $ 28.7 million. New York would only need to send about $ 14 million. It is much easier to find expendable, non-rotating players to add that up instead of doubling that number. That is why they continue to look like the best commercial fit. On the other hand, in a purchase from Drummond, the Knicks could offer much more than the minimum. There is a unique opportunity to pre-spend summer space, something Aller did several times while in Cleveland, including with Drummond last February.
That result may also appeal to Drummond, who, according to sources, told teammates earlier this season that he would be getting the most out of a free summer agency. How often do players sign the minimum and then come back and make big deals? It is difficult to change perception, especially in an important off-season.
The Cavs believe there is an exchange – even if it means bringing in a third or fourth team. Opponent executives disagree. Pessimism is easy to understand. It is not a lack of interest. Drummond is a two-time All-Star with an expiring contract that could be an extended race booster if used correctly and fully purchased – two variables that shouldn’t be a problem for a competitor. It is that massive salary, which limits the number of realistic matches.
Most players around your limit are either really good – and therefore unavailable – or overpaid and unpleasant.
It is not worth breaking a competitive core in a negotiation. But competitive it can become a relative term if Drummond joins the Lakers or the Nets. Is there no inherent value in preventing this?
I think we’ll find out on Thursday afternoon.
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