NBA Rumors: Andre Drummond Could Form Blazers’ ‘Big Three’ With Damian Lillard And CJ McCollum
With the Cleveland Cavaliers currently in a five-game losing streak, rumors surrounding All-Star center Andre Drummond have started to heat up. The Cavaliers have yet to make him officially available on the trading block, but if they fail to end their struggle, it might be best for them to consider moving him before the 2021 trade deadline, rather than risk losing him in the 2021 free agency without getting anything in return. Once he becomes officially available on the market, Drummond is expected to receive strong interest from teams who are in dire need of a frontcourt boost and additional star power to improve their chances of winning the NBA championship title this season.
One of the potential landing spots for Drummond is the Portland Trail Blazers. In a recent article, Brett Siegel of NBA Analysis Network included the Drummond-to-Trail Blazers trade on his list of blockbuster deals that could shake up the entire league this season. Instead of wasting another season on a rebuilding team like the Cavaliers, Siegel believes the veteran big man is better off joining forces with Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to help Trail Blazers create their own “Big Three.”
“With Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum in the backcourt, Portland really only needs to address their frontcourt, which is why Drummond is such a good fit. They need a guy who can give them second-chance opportunities on the offensive end of the court and a big man who can grab defensive rebounds and kick the ball out to either Lillard or McCollum to push the ball in transition.”
Trading for Drummond would make a lot of sense for the Trail Blazers. They may currently have Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins on their roster, but both big men are dealing with various injuries. Drummond could give Portland a more durable starting-caliber center who is a very reliable scoring option under the basket, a monster rebounder, and a quality rim protector.
This season, the 27-year-old big man is averaging 17.9 points, 13.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.6 steals while shooting 47.7 percent from the field, per ESPN. If Drummond meshes well with Lillard and McCollum, the Trail Blazers could pose a serious threat to Western Conference title favorites like the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers in the playoffs.
With Drummond currently in the final year of his contract, the Trail Blazers wouldn’t be needing to pay the king’s ransom to acquire him before the 2021 trade deadline. A package that includes a young player and/or a future first-round pick may be enough to convince the Cavaliers to send him to Portland.
