NBA Rumors: Mavericks Considered As ‘Most Interesting’ Destination For Andre Drummond, Per ‘HoopsHype’
When the Detroit Pistons lost one of their best players, Blake Griffin, to a season-ending injury, Andre Drummond suddenly became one of the hottest commodities on the trade market. After years of being a mediocre team in the league, rumors have been circulating that the Pistons would finally consider trading Drummond and their veterans and undergo a full-scale rebuild. Though it doesn’t look like that the Pistons are involved in any serious trade negotiation involving Drummond hours before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline, several NBA teams still continue to be linked to the All-Star center, including the Dallas Mavericks.
According to Frank Urbina of HoopsHype, of all the potential landing spots on the trade market, the Mavericks are the “most interesting” destination for Drummond.
“Of those rumored destinations, Dallas might be the most interesting since they have need at the 5-spot following the loss of Dwight Powell to injury for the season, and have Luka Doncic, their best and most productive player, signed to a rookie-scale deal for another two years, meaning they’re able to spend a little more recklessly on other parts of their roster for the time being. A half-season rental of Drummond, who would fit quite well next to the perimeter-oriented Kristaps Porzingis, could be a savvy move for the Mavericks.”
It’s easy to understand why Urbina considered the Mavericks as the most interesting trade destination for Drummond. Despite entering the 2019-20 NBA season without a legitimate NBA superstar on their roster, the Mavericks have managed to make a huge impact in the deep Western Conference, thanks to Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. As of now, the Mavericks are sitting in the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference with a 31-20 record.
Drummond won’t make the Mavericks an instant title contender, but his potential arrival in Dallas would enable them to create their own “Big Three” that could turn them from an average playoff contender to a legitimate threat in the deep Western Conference. Drummond would give the Mavericks an All-Star caliber center that would allow them to freely move Porzingis to the power forward position.
To acquire Drummond, one league executive who spoke to Urbina suggested that the Mavericks could offer a trade package including Jalen Brunson, Maxi Kleber, and a future first-round pick to the Pistons. Trading all those assets would undeniably be worth it for the Mavericks, especially if it means acquiring a player of Drummond’s caliber. However, it’s worth noting that Drummond has a player option on his contract that will enable him to hit the free agency market in the summer of 2020. Before engaging in a trade deal with the Pistons, the Mavericks should first get an assurance from Drummond that he intends to stay in Dallas.
