NBA Trade Rumors: Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson Deadline Deals In The Works?
Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson are young, talented, and currently the face of the Detroit Pistons franchise, but are they on the verge of becoming members of a new team? The NBA trade rumors are at a fever pitch as we enter the last 24 hours or so before the official deadline takes place on Thursday, February 23 at 3 p.m. ET.
With many star names and key players being thrown around the rumor mill as possible last minute deals, are the Pistons willing to part ways with two of their top guns in an attempt to improve the team?
Or maybe the real question is, would it be ludicrous to even consider trading either of these two rising stars?
According to a CBS Sports report, while many top brass of the Pistons are down playing the idea of a possible trade, sources believe otherwise.
Rumors have surfaced and been confirmed by very good sources, including ESPN’s Marc Stein that Detroit will not discourage trade inquiries for center Andre Drummond this week.
Hearing more and more teams say today they believe Detroit will NOT discourage trade inquiries for center Andre Drummond this week.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 21, 2017
Add to that, last week word surfaced that the Pistons were quietly, under the radar exploring trade offers for not only Drummond but for franchise point guard Reggie Jackson as well. What a difference a year can make. Just last season Detroit was considered one of the best young NBA teams in the Eastern Conference and Jackson and Drummond were a big reason why.
If they did trade Drummond or Jackson – or both – it would seem like Detroit is tearing down and totally rebuilding, but doesn’t that seem a bit hasty? While it is a business, time will tell if Detroit is looking to stand pat, or bring in fresh blood.
The most recent Drummond rumors of the big man heading from Detroit to Boston may have picked up additional steam by Drummond himself.
CSN indicated Drummond only added fuel to the rumor mill fire by re-tweeting the eyeball emojis posted by Boston star Isaiah Thomas. Why would such a small thing cause such a ruckus? Well Thomas did the same thing shortly before Boston added Al Horford to the mix last summer. So inquiring minds want to know, did Drummond re-tweet Thomas because he has a feeling he will soon be a Celtic or is it just fun and games between friends?
Never before have a set of eyes caused such a big stir in sports in Motown!
?
— Andre Drummond (@AndreDrummond) February 21, 2017
As for Reggie Jackson, the on again, off again move to Orlando seems to be off for good, at least according to head coach Stan Van Gundy.
SVG told The Freep that there is no pending deal to trade the Detroit point guard to Orlando, and there never has been. Is that the real truth or is the coach just doing his job? After all, SVG is also Detroit’s GM as well. All fans have to do is look at the recent DeMarcus Cousins trade to New Orleans to realize that what coaches and GM’s say and what actually happens can be two very different things.
The hot rumor for well over two weeks has been Detroit sending Jackson to the Magic for D.J. Augustin and Jeff Green. Van Gundy claims it is all made up by the media rumor mill.
“One of you guys asked me over the weekend about how far along the D.J. Augustin and Jeff Green trade for Reggie was, and the first time I heard about it was when I got that text, so I would assume not that far,” Van Gundy said Tuesday. “I’m never on social media,” Van Gundy said. “I don’t do any of it. I don’t do Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.”
With the NBA trade deadline right around the corner, time will tell which teams were bluffing and which ended up with an offer too good to refuse.
[Featured Image by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images]
