Getty Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers.
It would be “almost fitting” for the Philadelphia 76ers to reunite with backup center Andre Drummond, according to The Athletic’s Rich Hofmann.
Assessing reader-submitted trade proposals ahead of the February 9 trade deadline — three of which included Drummond, currently of the Chicago Bulls — Hoffman wrote in the February 7 story: “There are reasons to envision a potential reunion, the first being that Drummond has not been a consistent part of the rotation in Chicago lately. It would be almost fitting to see Drummond shipped out at the trade deadline last season, only to see him reacquired to finish out this season.”
Drummond, who would primarily play as a backup for Joel Embiid, opened the 2021-22 season with the Sixers but was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the deal that sent James Harden to the Sixers. Drummond, 29, signed a two-year deal with the Bulls in June 2022.
The proposed trades that include Drummond:
(Note: The Sixers are slated to receive a 2023 second-round pick from whoever among the Charlotte Hornets (15-40), Atlanta Hawks (27-28) or Nets (32-22) finishes with the worst record.)
Trade No. 1
Philadelphia receives: Andre Drummond
Chicago receives: Furkan Korkmaz, Charlotte’s 2023 second-round pick
Trade No. 2
Philadelphia receives: Andre Drummond
Chicago receives: Furkan Korkmaz, Montrezl Harell
Trade No. 3
Philadelphia receives: Andre Drummond, Alex Caruso
Chicago receives: Matisse Thybulle, Furkan Korkmaz, Shake Milton, Charlotte’s 2023 second-round pick
Andre Drummond’s Potential Playoff Role & Trading Price
In addressing his readers’ proposals, Hofmann suggested that giving up Thybulle, a rising defensive specialist, would be paying too high a price and that acquiring Caruso, the Bulls’ current sixth man, seems unrealistic.
“Thybulle is too much, so perhaps it’s something like Danuel House Jr. (whose contract, unlike Korkmaz’s, works straight up financially with Drummond’s) and the Charlotte pick gets it done,” Hofmann wrote. “I don’t think that package will get the Sixers in the ballpark for Caruso, who might not be a perfect fit in Philly anyway.”
Drummond, 29, averaged 6.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in his 49 appearances with the Sixers, mostly as a rotation player. On the Nets, he started in each of his 24 appearances, averaging 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds. As a Bull, he’s been strictly a bench player, averaging 6.6 points and 6.8 rebounds.
Hofmann wrote that Drummond could prove valuable for Sixers in the postseason.
“At a minimum, he represents a better rim protector and rebounder than [Montrezl] Harrell and a better offensive fit with Harden as a pick-and-roll big man than Paul Reed,” he wrote. “Entering the postseason with Drummond as the first option and a combination of Reed/P.J. Tucker as the small-ball looks are better than what the Sixers are currently doing.”
Andre Drummond Among Former Sixers ‘Floating Around’
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported on February 4 that teams have been gauging interest in backup centers, including the Sixers.
“The backup center market may end up being the segment of trade-deadline activity that features the most action. In addition, the Sixers, Clippers, Blazers, Nuggets, Nets, Celtics, Raptors, and Kings have been mentioned by league executives as holding differing degrees of interest to bolster their center rotations,” Fischer said.
Fischer suggested that Drummond was one of the few former Sixers’ centers who have been brought up in trade talks.
“The rest of the big men floating around the deadline have been reserves such as Serge Ibaka, Andre Drummond, Richaun Holmes, Mo Bamba, Jaxson Hayes, and Nerlens Noel.”
Both Noel and Holmes previously played for the Sixers.