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Slam Magazine ranks Andre Drummond in the top 50 NBA players

By Duncan Smith

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - AUGUST 4: Andre Drummond of Team World practices for the 2017 Africa Game as part of the Basketball Without Borders Africa at the Ticketpro Dome on August 4, 2017 in Gauteng province of Johannesburg, South Africa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - AUGUST 4: Andre Drummond of Team World practices for the 2017 Africa Game as part of the Basketball Without Borders Africa at the Ticketpro Dome on August 4, 2017 in Gauteng province of Johannesburg, South Africa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Every outlet is releasing player rankings as we near the beginning of training camp, and Slam Magazine weighed in on Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons.

It’s player ranking season as we finally near the beginning of training camp. SI has launched their top 100 list, and Slam Magazine got started on their top 50 list last week. A familiar face to Detroit Pistons’ fans appears on that list, but it’s lower than it showed up last year.

Slam ranked Andre Drummond 42nd in their top 50, down from last season’s 22nd. Slam views his rebounding favorably, but they also view his recent attempts (last season and during the Drew League and NBA Africa in particular) to incorporate a mid-range jump shot to his repertoire as a positive development.

We disagree strongly about the mid-range jump shot being a good thing, but Drummond’s rebounding abilities remain a game changer.

Slam also forecasts an improvement on the defensive end, perhaps even producing an All-Defensive team appearance. That may be optimistic, but after a disappointing season for most of the players on the Pistons’ roster last season and a plateauing for Drummond in particular, it can’t hurt to have some optimism here and there.

Next: SVG says Reggie Jackson is ramping up for training camp

42 doesn’t seem that outlandish for Drummond, particularly after he burned them on a high ranking of 22 last season. If he focuses on the things he does well offensively (sorry, no mid-range jumpers and the fewer post ups the better) and can improve his rim protection, we may see him finish closer to 20 than 40 next season.

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