Report: Multiple NBA executives think Cavs won’t fetch 1st-round pick for Andre Drummond

The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to find a trade destination for center Andre Drummond before the March 25th trade deadline.

However, according to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, the Cavs are unlikely to get much in return for Drummond.

“Ultimately, no executive with whom I spoke thought Cleveland would get back a first-round pick purely for Drummond as an asset,” Vecenie wrote. “There are theoretically overall trade constructions that could bring back such a pick if the Cavaliers were willing to take back longer-term salary in return. But having gone through the process, it’s hard to even find those deals out there right now that teams would be willing to attach first-rounders to. If the Cavs only want expiring salaries to keep their cap sheet clean into the future, they are likely looking at a similar return to what they acquired Drummond for (just a second-round pick).”

The Cavs are just 10-19 this season and still in the midst of a rebuild.

If Cleveland wants to acquire a better asset for Drummond, it may have to take back an undesirable contract or trade another asset.

This seems counterproductive, as Drummond’s salary is off the books after this season.

While trading Drummond would open up more playing time for the younger Jarrett Allen, the Cavs likely won’t get a major piece back for the big man. A second-round pick could be helpful in a future deal, but it wouldn’t be a franchise-changing asset.

The Cavs are looking to build around their core of Allen, Darius Garland and Collin Sexton going forward.