The Charlotte Hornets reportedly have interest in Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond. Here is what a potential trade could look like.
Andre Drummond‘s contract is set to expire at season’s end and the Detroit Pistons center is sure to draw interest as the prized free agent this summer.
The Charlotte Hornets have interest in signing Drummond in free agency, Heavy’s Sean Deveney reports. Things could be escalated if the Hornets wanted to obtain Drummond’s bird rights and acquire him with the Pistons off to a 4-10 start, an unhealthy roster and looking disinterested in recent contests.
One thing that is hard to see is potential landing spots for Drummond if Senior Advisor Ed Stefanski were to execute an in-season trade. Most contenders are set at center but teams looking to gain an edge in free agency by trading for Drummond is an interesting avenue.
Bird rights are precious because teams can offer an extra year on a maximum contract and more money over the course of the contract. Teams like the Hornets, Atlanta Hawks and others with significant cap space this summer could try to gain an edge by trading for Drummond.
But the Pistons could allow things to play out. Sure, they have the league’s third-worst record (along with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Hawks). They’re also two games out of the eight seed, which is held by the Orlando Magic who are dealing with injury issues of their own.
Drummond has been outspoken about his excitement to let the free agent process play out. He also was interested in negotiating a contract extension with the Pistons. There seems to be a mutual interest to keep the league’s best rebounder in the Motor City, as Tom Gores has been open about wanting to secure Drummond long-term.
To this point nothing has happened. If the Pistons continue to spiral towards the bottom of the toilet bowl in the Eastern Conference, it could be time for a rebuild, or at least re-tooling to gain younger assets. The Hornets could certainly help in that regard.