Grading the deal: Philadelphia 76ers bolster frontcourt by signing veteran Andre Drummond

The first move of free agency for the Philadelphia 76ers might not have been one most fans were predicting. The front office elected to add experience to their frontcourt and on to their bench, by bringing Andre Drummond in. He was signed to a two-year deal worth $10 million, according to The Athletic. We’ll grade the deal from the player’s and the team’s perspective. All statistics are sourced from Basketball Reference.

The dollars, cents and years make sense for the big man, who is set to turn 31 years of age in August. After spending the last two seasons with the Chicago Bulls, Drummond is now going to play for a team that has visions of making a run in the Eastern Conference playoffs. It’s a good landing spot for him, that allows for greater team success than he’s had recently.

ClutchPoints and others have discussed the large sum of cap space the 76ers had heading into free agency, which would allow them to remake their roster in their vision. It’s interesting that the first allotment of these resources went to a backup center. It can be argued that they have greater needs elsewhere, but perhaps this was done to keep Joel Embiid fresher in the regular season.

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While Drummond’s arrival gives Philadelphia options if Embiid were to miss time due to injury, it might also stymie the growth of a promising young player. Sports Illustrated wrote about Paul Reed’s improvement in recent years, and his approach of keeping things simple and success. Reed is also under a very affordable contract, so it’s interesting to see what will happen with his minutes.

The Athletic reported that the second year of Drummond’s deal is a player option. It gives the veteran center some flexibility should things go south in Philadelphia. With that being said, Drummond might want to remain on a team with a chance to win now that he’s in his thirties. He also might not make that much more money elsewhere.

This will actually be Drummond’s second stint with the 76ers, as he played for the franchise during the 2021-2022 season. He suited up in 49 games that year, averaging nearly nine rebounds per game in just 18 minutes.

Sports Illustrated reported that the Bulls nearly sent Drummond to Philadelphia before the February 2024 trade deadline, so it appears that the tea leaves for a reunion have been present for at least a few months.

Simply put, Drummond is one of the most prolific rebounders in NBA history. He remains one of the best glass-cleaners in the game, even in limited minutes. If you asked Drummond, he would tell you that he’s the best rebounder ever, as he communicated to NBC Sports in September 2023.

Since Andre Drummond entered the NBA in 2012, the league has changed, emphasizing a faster space and smaller players. With that said, he’s found a way to adapt and hang around for yet another shift that might re-prioritize size at the rim. The 76ers likely envision him as a weapon against some of the league’s best offensive centers.

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It might surprise NBA fans to learn that Drummond is only going to be 31 in August. He might seem older considering that he’s been on several teams in recent years, but his age would indicate that he should be plenty spry when his number is called upon in Philadelphia.