Andre Drummond has emerged as one of the biggest names likely to be traded ahead of the NBA’s March 25 trade deadline. He will be one of the main names to watch in NBA trade rumors as the time approaches.
The 27-year-old center hasn’t played since February 12 as the Cavaliers find work to find a suitable trade partner. According to New York Post’s Marc Berman, the Knicks could be a team that pursues Drummond before the NBA trade deadline.
The Knicks have struggled to find consistency at the center position this season, so Drummond can easily fill that void. Starting center Mitchell Robinson hasn’t played since February 12 due to a broken right hand and will likely be out until late March.
To replace Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks have utilized the duo of Taj Gibson and Nerlens Noel. Taj Gibson and Nerlens Noel have given the Knicks defense and rebounding in Robinson’s absence, but they have only scored 11.4 points per game.
If he lands in the Big Apple, Drummond will improve the Knicks’ offensive numbers. Even when Robinson returns, the Knicks will be better off offensively with Drummond, who averages 17.5 points per game, as opposed to Robinson’s 8.4 points per game.
The Knicks are currently sitting right outside of a playoff position, so it’s no surprise that they are buyers for a big name like Drummond. The Knicks also have plenty of draft capital and bench players like Austin Rivers and Frank Ntilikina who have fallen out of the rotation, so the Knicks are a perfect trade partner for a Cavs team that’s only won two of its last ten games.
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If Drummond is moved to New York, one question will be how Drummond and Julius Randle play together. Randle is a first-time All-Star and is averaging 23.3 points per game this season.
If the trade with the Cavs comes to fruition, then Randle and Drummond will mostly likely be at the power forward and center spots, respectively. Since Drummond is a better offensive player than Robinson, Randle’s numbers might see a decline with Drummond at the five.
If the Knicks want to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2012-13 season, then it might take a player like Andre Drummond to get them over that hump, even if it comes at Randle’s expense.
