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The Detroit Pistons are ramping up plans to trade All-Star center Andre Drummond and have already spoken with the Atlanta Hawks over a potential deal, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 26-year-old is believed to be set to decline his $29m player contract option for next season and Detroit would rather turn that into more assets to consolidate with, before they lose the player they drafted with the ninth pick in 2012 for nothing.
Executives at ownership level of both franchises are understood to have been involved in the talks for Drummond, who is the NBA’s leading rebounder averaging 15.8 in every game game – 1.6 rebounds per game more than the next closest player, Clint Capela of the Houston Rockets.
Among the assets discussed was the Brooklyn Nets’ 2020 first-round pick, which is owned by the Hawks, as well as players on expiring contracts to offer salary cap relief.
It’s understood no deal is considered to be imminent but Detroit is now working more keenly to move the player despite him being a favourite of the team’s ownership.
1:45 With the NBA trade deadline still a month away, on February 6, the interest in the 6ft 10in Drummond extends wider, according to Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill.
Goodwill lists Eastern Conference contenders Boston and Toronto and Western Conference power Dallas as showing interest, saying Drummond has relationships with Kristaps Porzingis of the Mavericks and Kyle Lowry of the Raptors.
Yahoo Sports also reported the Hawks’ Trae Young and Drummond are friends, and the team could be under pressure to get more help for Young, who has expressed frustration with the mounting losses in his first two seasons with the Hawks, according to The Athletic.
The Hawks are 7-28 and last in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons are 12-23 and 11th in the conference, who enter play Saturday four games out of eighth place and a playoff position.
Drummond has career averages of 14.3 points and 13.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in 33.6 minutes. He has played at least 78 games per season since his rookie season, when appeared in 60 games, 10 as a starter.
