Report: Cavs believe Andre Drummond’s asking price will be too high, will shop him ahead of deadline

While the Cleveland Cavaliers would love to keep veteran center Andre Drummond beyond this year, a new report indicates that Drummond’s price tag is likely to be more than the team can pay.

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com answered questions from fans on a variety of topics, including one that inquired about Drummond’s future with the team. Fedor indicated that any trade is likely predicated on whether the veteran and team can agree on a new deal before the trade deadline.

“In a perfect world, the Cavs keep both Drummond and [Jarrett] Allen, giving the organization a pair of defensive anchors and 48 minutes of elite center play, protecting the undersized backcourt and continuing the ascent at that end of the floor,” Fedor wrote. “The Cavs would be willing to keep Drummond — at the right price. But the current internal belief is he will want more than they’d be willing to offer, which will have them fielding trade offers ahead of the March 25 deadline. Whether they can afford to lose him is a whole other topic given his importance to this resurrection.”

Drummond’s current contract ends at the end of the 2020-21 season, with the veteran expected to ask for a multiyear deal at a price higher than the $28.75 million he’s making this season.

That’s presumably more than the Cavs can handle, which puts Drummond’s future in doubt. The 27-year-old center has expressed no concern about the uncertainty, indicating that he’s simply focusing on playing basketball.

Drummond certainly focused on the game during his first contest after the Cavaliers acquired Allen. On Friday night against the New York Knicks, he collected 33 points, 23 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.