NBA Rumors: Which Teams Joined 76ers in Andre Drummond Trade Market?

The Chicago Bulls’ star duo of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan was expected to be split up before the 2024 trade deadline hit. However, Chicago’s backup center, Andre Drummond, has become one of the Bulls’ most likely-to-be-traded candidates.

Multiple reports have linked the Philadelphia 76ers to the veteran center. That doesn’t come as a surprise, considering the Sixers have registered interest in Drummond before, signing him to a one-year deal to backup Joel Embiid in 2021.

When the Sixers were faced with a holdout in Ben Simmons, they were shooting for the stars and managed to land James Harden from the Brooklyn Nets. Drummond landed in the package that went to Brooklyn alongside Simmons.

Drummond’s time with the Nets was short-lived. After his run in Brooklyn, Drummond inked a deal with the Bulls. Currently, he’s in the final year, and it appears the Bulls are willing to gain trade value for Drummond now before they potentially lose him in free agency.

The Sixers have a need for a veteran big man who specializes in rebounding but can do a little bit of everything. Drummond fits the bill for Philadelphia, but the Sixers aren’t in the market on their own.

One frequent suitor for Drummond is the Dallas Mavericks. While the young center Dereck Lively has shown a ton of promise at just 19 years old, Dallas could use the services of a guy like Drummond to play as his backup.

It seems Dallas is headed in a different direction, though. On deadline day, the Mavs are reportedly expected to strike a deal with the Washington Wizards to land Daniel Gafford. If Dallas is able to finalize a deal to acquire the veteran center, Drummond would likely be off the table for the Mavericks.

Prior to Wednesday, the Boston Celtics were considered contenders in the Drummond market, but a separate move likely removes them from the equation. After acquiring the veteran center Xavier Tillman from the Memphis Grizzlies, Boston has likely taken care of their needs at the five-spot before the deadline locks the trade market up.

Beyond the Mavs, Sixers, and the Cs, Drummond has reportedly garnered attention from the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Houston Rockets. LA would be another reunion for Drummond, while Houston would put him on a team that’s in a similar position as the Bulls in the Western Conference. Per Yahoo Sports, both of those teams are described as “less likely outcomes” for Drummond at this time.

This season, Drummond has appeared in 51 games for Chicago, primarily playing off the bench. Spending 16 minutes on the court per game, he’s producing eight points, nine rebounds, and one block per game.

Looking back at his short stint with the Sixers, Drummond played in 49 games, picking up 12 starts in Joel Embiid’s absence. While he was slightly less productive on the offensive end compared to his numbers this season, Drummond was highly productive on the glass, notching nine rebounds per game.