The Detroit Pistons are better off than the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Andre Drummond. Here’s what he reportedly said and why it may be true.
Andre Drummond has spent 51 minutes on the floor with the Cleveland Cavaliers after being traded away by the Detroit Pistons — and it’s been enough for him to notice a difference.
John Beilein is stepping away as Cleveland’s coach after 54 games in the NBA. The revered college coach who built the University of Michigan back up and had a track record of developing players and playing team basketball couldn’t adapt to the professional level and is walking away from $12 million, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
In the wake of it all, The Athletic chronicled what went wrong under the Beilein era and beyond, and the former Pistons center took notice quickly, according to the story.
The report said that Drummond told teammates that Cleveland was a worse situation than Detroit and that it could factor into his $28.8 million player option for the 2020-21 season. That option is one reason the Cavaliers traded for Drummond, given that Tristan Thompson‘s contract will expire at season’s end.
However, Drummond disputed the report on Twitter.
“That’s a lie… lol but anything for a headline huh? Never said anything of that sort,” he tweeted.
The report comes at an interesting time after Drummond ridiculed the Pistons for their handling of the trade. But the premise that the Pistons are in a better spot than the Cavs is interesting with some similarities between the two.
Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, the owner of Rocket Mortgage and Detroit businessman, is friends with Pistons owner Tom Gores. Cleveland, however, has had more success but only in the presence of a king — LeBron James.
The report said that current general manager Koby Altman has fractured, or no relationships with James, Kyrie Irving — who has the most historic shot in Cavs history — and Kevin Love, who has had verbal altercations with Altman. Yet Altman is the first general manager to receive a second contract with the Cavs, the report said, since Gilbert bought the team.
Detroit, meanwhile, has two playoff appearances under Gores ownership and zero playoff wins. Yet the disfunction in coaches is similar to that of Cleveland, which is on its seventh coach in eight season with the promotion of J.B. Bickerstaff. The Pistons are on their fifth coach in as many seasons.
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However, there is reason to believe the Pistons are in a better spot. The current regime has revamped the roster and will have the freedom to implement their system with Luke Kennard being the longest-tenured Pistons player after Reggie Jackson was bought out.
The Pistons were able to lure veteran free agents Derrick Rose and Markieff Morris in an attempt to contend. However when injuries thwarted any threat of that happening, the front office tore it down. That front office also selected Bruce Brown in the second round, though he would be a first-round selection today. They also selected a potential building block in Sekou Doumbouya, the youngest player in the NBA who is full of potential.
Regardless of whether Drummond did, or didn’t, say something to teammates, the Pistons appear to be in a better spot than the Cavaliers.