Andre Drummond Rumors
All NBA Players
Position: C
Born: 08/10/93
Height: 6-10 / 2.08
Weight:270 lbs. / 122.5 kg.
Salary: $27,093,018
Born: 08/10/93
Height: 6-10 / 2.08
Weight:270 lbs. / 122.5 kg.
Salary: $27,093,018
Cavs, Andre Drummond interested in a contract extension
Do they Cavs like Drummond enough to work out a long-term extension, preemptively keeping him from becoming an unrestricted free agent in the star-studded 2021 class? At this point, sources say, both sides have shown interest in an extension. But there’s so much to figure out before late October, when Drummond could technically sign a new deal.
However, both sides have been giving off the impression that they are interested in continuing the partnership, which was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic on March 11.
With Drummond making his commitment public, the Cavs can proceed with other offseason plans. Sources say Drummond’s decision doesn’t guarantee Tristan Thompson’s departure. Thompson, an unrestricted free agent this summer, will weigh all of his options. But the fallout from COVID-19 — and the anticipated drop in in the salary cap — has caused plenty of uncertainty, especially for free agents.
Andre Drummond opting in
Two-time All-Star Andre Drummond says he plans to pick up his player option that will keep him in Cleveland for another year. Drummond, who was traded to the Cavaliers by the Detroit Pistons in February, has a $28.75 million option for the 2020-21 season. He said on Tuesday’s episode of ESPN’s Le Batard & Friends — STUpodity podcast that he “definitely” will be in Cleveland next season. “Yeah, it’s going to be hard to give up, so you can count on me being in Cleveland still,” Drummond said when pressed on whether he plans to exercise his option. “I definitely will be in Cleveland.”
Shams Charania: New player option dates for 2020 NBA free agency: Anthony Davis: Oct. 14 Gordon Hayward: Oct. 17 DeMar DeRozan: Oct. 17 Mike Conley Jr.: Oct. 17 Andre Drummond: Oct. 17
The Cavs went 4-4 in the eight games with Drummond, who has been coy about his decision. But all signs point the same way. It’s a strange time in the NBA. The salary cap was headed south already because of the fractured relationship with China. The pandemic only exacerbates the impending revenue loss. Drummond doesn’t have much of a choice remaining.
Few teams have cap space available. The ones that do certainly aren’t lining up to pay Drummond $28 million. The Detroit Pistons dumped him to avoid that. Opting in for one year and continuing the experiment in Cleveland gives Drummond a chance to revive his value — if that’s even possible in this era — before entering free agency next summer.
No surprise, but several team executives tell me that they are anticipating that the economic fallout of the stalled season will lead most, if not all, big-ticket player options to be picked up in the offseason. That includes Gordon Hayward ($31.9 million), Andre Drummond ($28.8) and Nicolas Batum ($24 million). San Antonio’s DeMar DeRozan ($27.7 million) likely will, too, but with the Spurs rebuilding, DeRozan, 30, could roll the dice on there being one more big contract out there for him in the fall.
Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond is known for his rebounding prowess. The University of Connecticut product has averaged 13.8 rebounds per game for his career, but when he was playing for the Detroit Pistons, one of his teammates attempted to lower that total. Drummond revealed that he actually punched that teammate for stealing his rebounds. “I’ve put my hands on my teammates before,” Drummond said on the Mickstape Podcast. “It doesn’t matter who. It was in Detroit, he’s actually one of my really close friends, too. “I had to put my hands on him when we first got him. I told him to do something and he didn’t do it. I gave him a warning and he still didn’t do it.”
Drummond has a player option for next season. If he opts out, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent; if he opts in, he’ll be paid $28,751,774 from the Cavs. Drummond is reportedly expected to opt in, which could have a big impact on Thompson’s situation.
10 Jun
Looking ahead to next season: Certain players have guaranteed contract dates or player option dates that must be sorted out. The solution being negotiated is straightforward: The date would change in proportion to the original calendar. Gordon Hayward and Andre Drummond, for example, had until June 29, two days before the old first day of free agency on July 1, to pick up their options for next season. Under this proposal, that date would move to October 16, two days before the new free agency opening on October 18.
28 May
As restaurant workers scramble to make ends meet amid shutdowns related to the novel coronavirus pandemic, a waitress in Florida received a major boost this past weekend when Cleveland Cavaliers star Andre Drummond left her a $1,000 tip.
Kassandra Diaz told The Washington Post that following a nearly two-hour family brunch at Delray Beach’s Che Restaurant, the two-time NBA all-star added a $1,000 tip to his $164.25 bill. “I started shaking. I had tears coming in my eyes,” Diaz said. “I just couldn’t believe it. I had to go check with him and see if it was real.”
After confirming the validity of the 609 percent tip with Drummond, Diaz, who initially was unaware that she was serving an NBA athlete, struggled to find the appropriate way to show her gratitude. “I was so nervous that if I was too excited other customers might recognize him and start bothering him and then he’d get upset and take the tip back,” Diaz said with a laugh. “But looking back on it the next day, I really felt like I didn’t express enough just how appreciative I was, so I decided to post about it on Instagram in hopes that he’d see it.”
After dining at Che Restaurant in Delray Beach, the Cavs big man left a $1,000 gratuity for Kasandra Diaz on top of a $164.25 bill. Diaz recalled the story on the restaurant’s Instagram account, along with an image of the bill with Drummond’s signature. Diaz admitted that she “had no idea who he was, and hadn’t seen him here before,” but she expressed her utmost gratitude towards the Cavs star. “Today, started off as a slow day at work getting there for my doubled shift. The past week, overall, has been pretty slow of course due to COVID. Restaurants and staff have been struggling, as you can imagine. Little did I know that today I would get a tip no server would guess that they would ever receive when they open that check book,” Diaz wrote.
A waitress at a Palm Beach County restaurant got the tip of a lifetime when a NBA star left a $1,000 tip during a recent visit. The restaurant in Delray Beach, Che Restaurant, posted a photo this weekend on social media saying one of their employees received the tip from Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond.
“When I was given the checkbook, I went to put in the tip & information to close the table and I couldn’t believe it,” the message read. “From a $160 check, the tip read $1,000.” The restaurant noted that the waitress was “shaking and had tears of happiness” while saying many employees had been suffering due to closures amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The thing is, the reality of Cleveland’s situation may prevent that from happening. Right now, Love, Drummond and Larry Nance Jr., all staples for the Cavaliers’ big man rotation account for roughly 52% of the team’s payroll at $68.7 million. Next season, Nance will be here under contract and the team will likely have both Love and Drummond here as well, per league sources. Drummond plans on opting into his $28.7 million player option and Love will be hard to move with the NBA salary cap expected to go down due to the coronavirus pandemic. With that in mind, all three aforementioned players will combine for $78.1 million total next year.
The thing is, the reality of Cleveland’s situation may prevent that from happening. Right now, Love, Drummond and Larry Nance Jr., all staples for the Cavaliers’ big man rotation account for roughly 52% of the team’s payroll at $68.7 million. Next season, Nance will be here under contract and the team will likely have both Love and Drummond here as well, per league sources. Drummond plans on opting into his $28.7 million player option and Love will be hard to move with the NBA salary cap expected to go down due to the coronavirus pandemic. With that in mind, all three aforementioned players will combine for $78.1 million total next year.
Randle is not alone in enrolling in the program. More than 35 NBA players—including names such as Andre Drummond, Lou Williams and Zach Collins—have joined him and are taking classes with Yellowbrick, doing so in a range of topics such as “Fundamentals of Global Sports Management,” “Music Industry Essentials,” “Sneaker Essentials” and “Streetwear Essentials.” Along with their Yellowbrick partnership, the NBA also recently offered a MasterClass subscription to its players, giving them access to hundreds of video lessons from top experts across a wide range of industries. (As an example of the quality of MasterClass instructors, Stephen Curry teaches a class on shooting where he also offers in-game execution tips).
With the NBA season at a standstill, agencies quickly switched gears and focused attention on entering clients in gaming competitions. “We worked closely with the NBPA to enter our guys into the NBA 2K Players Tournament,” Excel Sports Management’s Davis said. Four of the agency’s clients — DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Drummond, Hassan Whiteside and Harrison Barnes — competed. “The reason why a lot of these guys were really inclined is it was a way to connect with fans and they are into playing the game.”
I know there’s obviously a lot more important things going on but have you thought about your own future, and where you’re leaning with the player option in your contract? Andre Drummond: For me I haven’t really thought too deep into my next decision yet because obviously we can’t really do anything yet.
You said something this year that caught my eye: “I think I’m definitely the best ever when it comes to rebounding. I don’t think there’s anybody who’s even remotely close to the things I’ve done when it comes to [rebounding].” When did you first think that? Andre Drummond: I’ve always thought that about myself. I’ve just never been vocal about it. I’ll never put another man before myself. I’m always gonna think I’m the best. Even if I’m wrong I’m still gonna say that I’m right. I’m still gonna find a way to try and prove it. SB: Did you catch any flack for that statement? Andre Drummond: No, I mean, everybody has their opinion. I don’t really read into it.
Competitors in the #PlayApartTogether tournament will duke it out over games like “Fortnite,” “Rocket League,” “NBA 2K20,” and “FIFA 20,” among others. Viewers will be able to track participants, brackets, and standings throughout the tournament using Facebook Gaming’s recently launched tournaments tool. During each tournament stream, viewers will also be able to donate money to the United Nations Foundation’s COVID-19 fundraiser for the WHO via Facebook donation tools. The list of competitors includes: Andre Drummond, Dwight Howard, and JaVale McGee from the NBA; Justin Herbert, Christian McCaffrey, Joe Burrow, and Jarvis Landry of the NFL; the WWE’s Ron “The Truth” Killings; Alex Bregman and Lance McCullers of the MLB; PGA golfer Bryson DeChambeau; and influencer Jen Selter.
Andre Drummond, a Cleveland Cavaliers player and former UConn basketball standout, has donated $100,000 to Middlesex Health’s Emergency Response Fund. The fund was recently established to help the health system with expenses related to COVID-19, according to official from Middlesex Health.
“The community of Middletown has always supported me throughout my entire career,” says Drummond. “It’s my turn to help give back and provide those on the frontlines with the resources they need to help fight the virus.”
According to multiple sources, Drummond picking up his option remains most likely. It’s also most logical. Just look at what the Pistons received at the deadline. It was a salary dump, Detroit wanting to clean up the books and avoid paying him north of $28 million for 20-21. That’s a perfect portrait of his declining value. In this pace-and-space era, with shooting and perimeter skill so vital, some centers are still worth that bulky price tag. Drummond isn’t one of them.
According to sources, the Cavs weren’t given any assurances about Drummond’s future beforehand. Drummond has stayed silent on the impending decision, wanting to get through the season before thinking about the next step. But his player option, worth $28.7 million, has a direct impact on what the Cavs can — and can’t do — with their roster this summer.
During his run to the semis, Beverley gave everyone watching at home a taste of the nonstop motor on his mouth, with his trash talking often going viral during wins over Portland’s Hassan Whiteside and Cleveland’s Andre Drummond. Before their matchup, Beverley told Drummond that he had been “working out like a madman” during the quarantine. “I already know, you have no off switch, man,” Drummond said.
Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond is giving back. Drummond and JBL have announced a donation of headphones to schools in the Cleveland and Detroit area to help students impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The donation, through Little Kids Rock, is intended to help kids nationwide with e-learning and will go directly to supporting virtual online classes and free streaming music lessons. Little Kids Rock is a national nonprofit dedicated to innovating music education in schools.
“ET is just a ball of light,” Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond told ESPN earlier this season. “His energy, his inspiration, the way he views life and the way he can inspire so many people just by his words is huge. Sometimes I listen to his stuff whenever I’m feeling off or I need a certain message. He has messages for all different types of things.” Thomas has shared his messages directly with NBA veterans such as Drummond, Paul and Kyrie Irving. He has connected with rookies, including Zion Williamson, as part of the NBA’s annual rookie symposium. Players point to his rise from his humble beginnings and his raw, powerful delivery of his messages as sources of inspiration.
Beard: Andre Drummond was the longest-tenured Pistons player before his trade at the deadline. How much did that set back the culture the new regime is trying to build? Isiah Thomas: It took us a long time to build a culture in Detroit, with a belief system, celebrating tradition. Before you celebrate, have to establish something to celebrate: a language, colors — the flag you represent. That’s what we had built in Detroit and that gave us an identity. Whether winning or losing, when you talk about Pistons Bad Boys culture, that is still relevant and talked about to this day. Van Gundy came in and said he wanted to move away from that and build something else. What he was tearing down and trying to build, it wasn’t complete. Drummond as a player and talent coming into one culture of this is who Pistons are and then the change in regime says a new culture. The heartbreak that Andre Drummond feels I understand from a player perspective, but from an organizational perspective, it led to where they are now.
Ira Winderman: NBA today announced this change for NBA2K tournament: Quarterfinals will now air THURSDAY on ESPN2: Rui Hachimura vs. Devin Booker: 7 p.m. Derrick Jones Jr. vs. Montrezl Harrell: 8 p.m. Trae Young vs. Deandre Ayton: 9 p.m. Patrick Beverley vs. Andre Drummond: 10 p.m.
The league hopes to launch the event Friday, with the 16-player tournament lasting 10 days. It is expected to include stars such as the Utah Jazz’s Donovan Mitchell, four-time All-Star DeMarcus Cousins and two-time All-Star Andre Drummond, among other big-name players, sources said.
Andre Drummond: Praying for you bro! @Karl-Anthony Towns
Andre Drummond: I love being in Cleveland
@uhhhh: Would you consider re-signing with the Cavs after the season? Andre Drummond: Right now my focus is staying healthy, that’s a long ways away. I love being in Cleveland, and I’ll come up with a decision when time is right.
@BS25PHI21: Are you and Embiid good now? Andre Drummond: We never had a problem, it’s basketball I talk a lot of trash. He does it on social media, I do it in the game.
@Cdawg123: What is your best and worst moment in the NBA? Andre Drummond: Every time I step on the court… Worst moment is when I get dunked on, it lingers.
Andre Drummond: I love being in Cleveland
@uhhhh: Would you consider re-signing with the Cavs after the season? Andre Drummond: Right now my focus is staying healthy, that’s a long ways away. I love being in Cleveland, and I’ll come up with a decision when time is right.
@BS25PHI21: Are you and Embiid good now? Andre Drummond: We never had a problem, it’s basketball I talk a lot of trash. He does it on social media, I do it in the game.
@Cdawg123: What is your best and worst moment in the NBA? Andre Drummond: Every time I step on the court… Worst moment is when I get dunked on, it lingers.
Chris Fedor: Beyond Andre Drummond, I had heard that the Cavs had conversations with Indiana about the potential of landing Myles Turner. They didn’t go anywhere.
Marla Ridenour: #Cavs’ Andre Drummond will return tonight & will start vs Spurs
Kelsey Russo: The only update to the #Cavs injury report for tonight’s game against the Spurs is Andre Drummond (calf strain) is probable. OUT: Darius Garland (groin strain), Dante Exum (ankle sprain), Kevin Porter Jr. (concussion)
