Detroit Pistons still plan to give Drummond a max deal
The Detroit Pistons’s season is over which means it is now time to focus on the offseason. The biggest priority this offseason will be re-signing all-star center Andre Drummond, something Tom Gores is very confident in doing.
Are the Detroit Pistons comfortable giving Andre Drummond–a man that takes himself out of the end of games due to poor free throw shooting–still willing to give him a max contract this offseason?
According to Pistons’ owner Tom Gores, it’s a no-brainer decision.
"“No hesitation,” Gores said in the Pistons locker room after the game. “Come on, look at all the big guys in the league. Come on.”"
Gores will be offering Drummond a max contract this offseason, but, how does Drummond feel about coming back to Detroit?
"“You’d have to ask Andre, but I think we have a great relationship,” Gores said. “I think he likes Detroit, but you’d have to ask him.”"
Drummond sounded optimistic after last night’s loss about where the organization is at. His comments don’t sound like a guy who’s ready to bolt:
"“I’ve been here the longest,” he said. “I’m the last remaining person from my draft class. And I’ve seen it all. I’ve been here for four long years, and it’s been a struggle. So for us to play the way we’ve played this season and come out and prove so many people wrong saying that we weren’t going to be good enough, that we were such a young team. For us to overcome injuries, different things going on, and to be in the playoffs and play like that, you can’t help but hold your head high.”"
The plan all along has been for the Pistons to use up their cap space to surround quality players around Drummond, and then go over the cap and sign him to a max contract via Bird Rights.
I’m 99.99% confident Drummond returns to the Pistons. The organization has lived up to their end of the deal so far surrounding Drummond with players like Tobias Harris and Marcus Morris. Those types of moves should instill confidence in Drummond that the organization is moving in the right direction.
I know there are fans out there that don’t think Drummond is worthy of a max contract due to his poor free throw shooting, which causes him to be a total non-factor at the end of close games, and because of his swaying effort, but that line of thinking is flat out foolish.
Drummond is only 22 years old and already one of the most dominant bigs in the NBA. He hasn’t even begun to scratch the surface of his immense potential and his lateral quickness–as demonstrated in the first round of the playoffs–on defense may end up being something that Stan Van Gundy can utilize on the defensive end in the years to come.
Drummond has a lot of work to do–he needs to improve his rim protection, free throw shooting, and overall effort–but make no mistake, the Pistons are still ready to make a large investment on him.