NBA Rumors: LA Clippers Could Trade Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, And Ivica Zubac For Andre Drummond
Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond has been the subject of trade speculations since the 2020 offseason. The rumors surrounding the veteran big man heated up when the Cavaliers acquired Jarrett Allen in the four-team blockbuster deal centered on James Harden. With the addition of a young and promising big man like Allen on their roster, there is a growing belief around the league that the Cavaliers would part ways with Drummond before the 2021 trade deadline.
One of the ideal landing spots for Drummond is the Los Angeles Clippers. In a recent article, Kyle Daubs of Fadeaway World included the Drummond-to-Clippers deal on his list of blockbuster trades that could happen before the 2021 trade deadline. In the proposed scenario, the Clippers would be sending a package that includes Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, and Ivica Zubac to the Cavaliers in exchange for the veteran center. If the deal becomes a reality, Daubs believes that it would help both teams in filling needs on their respective rosters.
“Drummond brings the Clippers’ franchise size, which they do not possess with their current center situation with Zubac and Serge Ibaka. While Drummond cannot compete with the likes of Anthony Davis on offense, Drummond could hold him down inside. Drummond brings the potential of coming down with 15 rebounds each night, which would neutralize any team’s hope for second-chance points. As for Ibaka, he is versatile and could play at power forward, so that both Drummond and Ibaka could play at the same time. The Cavaliers would get a solid defender in Beverley, an expiring contract in Williams, and a center that can compete with Allen for minutes.”
The proposed scenario would make sense for the Clippers, as it would enable them to replace Zubac with an All-Star caliber center. Though he’s unable to space the floor, Drummond could still improve their performance on both ends of the floor. He would provide a very reliable scoring option under the basket, a monster rebounder, and a quality rim protector.
This season, the 27-year-old center is averaging 18.8 points, 15.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.6 steals while shooting 47.4 percent from the field, per ESPN. As Daubs noted, having Drummond on their roster would give the Clippers a better matchup against Western Conference powerhouse teams with dominant big men like Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), and Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz).
He may not have shown any signs that he’s no longer happy in Cleveland, but Drummond would definitely love the idea of being traded to the Clippers. Instead of wasting his prime years with the Cavaliers, teaming up with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in Los Angeles would give him a realistic chance of playing in the NBA Finals and winning his first championship.
