Detroit Pistons 2019-20 preview: Andre Drummond’s profile
Setting Drummond’s 2019-20 expectations
Andre Drummond is poised for a career year.
He is entering a contract year. He continues to improve his game and will be entering his second year alongside Blake Griffin in the front court.
Another key factor setting Drummond up for success this season will be Detroit’s newly-found point guard depth. With the addition of Derrick Rose, Drummond should enjoy solid point guard play whenever he is on the court.
Because his offensive game is limited in scope, having a guard on the court who can facilitate the pick-and-roll is essential. Without that, he fits awkwardly within any offensive system.
For example, when Reggie Jackson missed 32 games during the 2016-17 season, Drummond recorded his lowest scoring average since 2013-14 (his second year in the league) with 13.6 points per game.
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Jackson and Rose should pair nicely with Drummond, giving the big man plenty of easy opportunities around the basket.
Will Drummond begin knocking down three’s? That remains to be seen. Many centers around the league, who had hardly shot from deep until the past couple of seasons, have quickly become proficient – most notably the Bucks’ Brook Lopez. So it’s not out of the realm of possibility, as Riley Nisbet argues in his latest piece.
But Pistons fans shouldn’t hold their breath.
Realistically, Drummond should show improvement across the board. If he continues his tear from last season, it is not unreasonable to hope for a stat line hovering around 18.0 points, 16.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game.
For the Pistons to compete in an increasingly-competitive Eastern Conference this upcoming season, this sort of production will be essential.