Andre Drummond and his impact on Cavs future

Recently acquired center Andre Drummond will have a tremendous impact on the immediate future of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This is not about the performance of Andre Drummond on the court. This is entirely about his contract situation, his upcoming player option, and the fact he is represented by the agency as another prominent player on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Andre Drummond and Kevin Love are both represented by Excel Sports Management. This means that Drummond and his decision on his $28.75 million player option for the 2020-21 season could ultimately control the fate of the Cavs moving forward. If Drummond were to opt in, it may lead to the team hanging onto Kevin Love despite non-stop trade rumors. On the other hand if Drummond opts out, it may lead to a trade of Love. Of course there is the possibility that team still re-signs Drummond if he were to opt out, but the recent history of the Cavs may deter him from signing a long-term deal with Cleveland. It’s all about making the players and agents happy. If the Cavs can sell them on staying in Cleveland beyond this season it would be a huge win.

Drummond will also have to consider his external options if he opts out. His playing style and player profile does not really mesh with the spread the floor concept many teams employ. Andre Drummond is a traditional, old-school center who is not all that effective outside the paint. From 3 feet and in Drummond makes 64.8% of his shots compared to 37.3% from 3 feet to 10 feet. Drummond may be better off taking the guaranteed money with his player option rather than testing the market.

GM Koby Altman views Drummond as an integral piece for the team moving forward.

Altman also mentions that they are still working on player development and the combination of Love and Drummond has great potential.

Will the combination of Andre Drummond and Kevin Love work and remain beyond this season? Nobody knows, but anything is possible. Worst case scenario the team trades one or both next season if they are still on the roster. Where the Cavs are at team-building wise it is best to explore all their options and that appears to be exactly what they’re doing.