The Boston Celtics are less than 24 hours removed from pulling off two trades at the deadline.
However, that’s not to say Danny Ainge is done reshuffling the team’s roster. After shipping Daniel Theis off to Chicago, it looks as if Boston may potentially be replacing the previous big man with a two-time All-Star and former All-NBA third-team selection.
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Andre Drummond to Speak With Celtics
Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes has reported that center Andre Drummond, who will work on a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers, will listen to pitches from a shortlist of teams, including the Celtics.
Boston is joined by the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Charlotte Hornets as the five suitors for Drummond’s services, per Haynes.
Drummond hasn’t appeared in a game since February 12th as the Cavs previously announced they would sit their 27-year-old center in hopes of finding a trade partner ahead of the deadline. Now that the deadline has passed, expect Drummond to have his pick of the litter in the coming days as he hits the open market. In twenty-five games this season, the two-time All-Star averaged 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds over 28.9 minutes per game.
“These two guys can likely change the landscape of the league.”
@ChrisBHaynes reports on the teams LaMarcus Aldridge and Andre Drummond will meet with as free agents 👀
Drummond’s Fit in Boston
Drummond certainly isn’t you’re typical Brad Stevens center. The 6-foot-10-inch, nearly 280-pounder is a bruising big man who lives in the paint. With that said, the aforementioned trade of Daniel Theis does help unclog a bit of the logjam Boston was previously enduring in their frontcourt.
The team did acquire two bigs on Thursday: Mo Wagner from the Wizards and Luke Kornet from the Bulls. Yet, while Celtics columnist Keith Smith has reported that Boston doesn’t plan to waive these players at this time, he pointed to the possibility of such an occurrence shortly down the road.
“A source: The Boston Celtics won’t waive any players until they have an agreement secured from a player who has received a buyout,” Smith tweeted. “Celtics don’t want to be caught shorthanded with players currently out due to injuries and health and safety protocols.”
There’s also the matter of what to do with the ever-developing Robert Williams. Theoretically, dealing Theis had as much to do with freeing up minutes for Time Lord as it did for anything else. Williams has been a revelation in his third NBA season as he’s taken his game to new heights, flashing on the defensive end and shooting 73% from the floor.
Would the insertion of Drummond into Boston’s lineup only hinder Williams’ development and clog up the paint? Potentially. With that said, when it comes down to it, the Cs are a below .500 team that could use an influx of talent. Drummond brings just that to the table. In 25 games this season, the nine-year pro has averaged 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game for Cleveland. The latter ranks Drummond second in the NBA to Clint Capela and his 14.2 rebounds per game. The UConn product has led the league in rebounds on four occasions, including each of the past three seasons.
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Celtics in Contention to Acquire 2x All-Star Following Buyout: Report