The Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Andre Drummond in a surprise move prior to this month’s trade deadline.
As a result, one unnamed Cavs player reportedly believes that the addition gives the team an elite frontcourt.
“Nearly one week ago, hours after the Cleveland Cavaliers stunned the NBA by adding two-time All-Star Andre Drummond at the trade deadline, one jovial player texted cleveland.com with an authoritative statement,” Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com wrote.
“This is a championship-level frontcourt.”
The assertion may seem somewhat overstated, but there’s no doubt that pairing Drummond with forward Kevin Love is a serious move in the right direction for a struggling Cavs team.
Drummond gives the Cavs perhaps the NBA’s best rebounder as well as a serious offensive threat inside. While he has a player option coming up at the end of this season, he is expected to pick up that player option and remain in Cleveland next year.
As for Love, he seemed determined to move on from the Cavs prior to the trade deadline.
Hopefully, the addition of Drummond makes the possibility of staying in Cleveland long term more attractive for the five-time All-Star.
That would leave the Cavs with a talented veteran frontcourt to help support the growth of a young and improving backcourt entering next season.
Next year will be the third season of the Cavs’ post-LeBron James roster overhaul.
While the expectation is that some of the Cavs’ struggles will continue into next season, the addition of Drummond should help the team be more competitive from here on out.
On Wednesday, the Cavs dominated the Atlanta Hawks, 127-105, in Drummond’s second game with the team. He finished the night with 14 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks.
Hopefully, that performance and outcome are a sign of good things to come for the remainder of the 2019-2o campaign.
