Should Toronto TRADE for DRUMMOND?
It seems no coincidence that these rumours have intensified following a 116-112 loss to the last-place Minnesota Timberwolves. Toronto has courageously battled to fill free agency vacancies over the past two-seasons, but it’s becoming more apparent that a ‘re-tool’ is imminent.
Why Drummond?
Of the glaring holes in Toronto’s roster, the centre spot seems most exacerbated, reflecting the losses of both Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka this off-season. Don’t get me wrong; Chris Boucher has done outstanding in his own right. However, as an inexperienced player who only stands at 6’9”, there are evident limitations to his impact as an NBA centre.
In my opinion, coming off the bench has been worthwhile for him. Traditional starting centre match-ups are not ideal for Chris. On the other hand, they have not been ideal for veteran Aron Baynes either. The Aussie big-man was our much-anticipated signing from the 2020 fee agency class. However, the idea of Baynes appears much better than the reality of his play at this point.
Although Baynes can bring a formidable defensive paint-presence (at times), he lacks consistent finishing ability down-low offensively. With such unreliable interior scoring presence at centre, the Raptors could desperately use an upgrade. The acquisition of Andre Drummond from the Cleveland Cavaliers would make sense from a number of angles.
For those who criticized Masai over missing-out on Jarrett Allen, you really don’t want to miss-out on Drummond. The 2x All-Star big-man is currently averaging an impressive 17.5 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 2.6 AST. 1.6 STL and 1.2 BPG. Drummond will probably demand more pay than Allen in the near-future, and his consistently monstorous stats help justify this. The 27-year-old is earning $28,751,775 on his contract this season, being set to enter 2021 free-agency.
What is Toronto Willing to Give?
Yes… Drummond would technically be a rental asset. However, our roster has a few valuable players currently in the same situation; such as Kyle Lowry and Norm Powell. Before anyone comes for my head; I am not saying we should ship two of our cherished championship players to Cleveland. What I am saying is there are many potential deals, involving a multitude of teams and players, that could bring Drummond to the 6ix.
Realistically, Raptor fans should not be completely opposed to moving either Kyle or Norm for a significant big-man upgrade; whomever that may be. If a trade could be reached on mutual grounds with our players, I think it would be a smart collective decision. Kyle certainly wants his precious opportunities to contend (wherever that may be), and I don’t know if Masai can pay-out Norm in free-agency this off-season…
At the moment, Toronto has financially locked-in the future of the team around Pascal Siakam (4-year $130M), Fred VanVleet (4-years $85), and OG Anunoby (4-years $72M). Drummond’s hefty contract was undesirable to teams earlier, as Detroit was able to land the big-man in exchange for Brandon Knight, John Henson, and a 2023 2nd round-pick just last season… However, as a rental asset being moved mid-season, the bidding war for his services is likely more competitive now.
For this reason, I really don’t want to advocate for giving-up too much. Unless Drummond came to Toronto in the form of a multi-team blockbuster, I would not consider Lowry a tradable asset. For Norm, however, I am much more realistic with the impending off-season, and the reality of our current guard depth. With both Jarrett Allen and Dwight Howard on Cleveland’s roster, I am sure Masai is working the phone for a slice of that depth... Among these calls, he is also certainly kicking-the-tires on Atlanta's loaded frontcout and stars like John Collins.
Although the salary does not fully balance for Drummond; a deal surrounding Norm and Baynes could be a package I would be willing to part with. Yet the issue of balancing salary is a very real one, and could be a potential deal-breaker in the Drummond sweepstakes. If he can be acquired, the big-man would seamlessly fit into the pick-n-roll with either Kyle or Fred working the point, additionally bringing a much-needed size upgrade.
Conclusion
His long-term aspirations in Toronto would largely depend on the reminder of the season, and could force Masai’s hand to move other assets if he translates perflectly. This would honestly be a great problem to have, as our team could desperately use some front-court balance. The Raptors already have enough floor-spacing to compensate for his lack of three-point shooting. Also, in addition to his consistent play, he seems to possess a work ethic which would resonate with the true-grit Toronto Raptors organization.
If the deal is right; I say pounce.
Comment Section
Login to leave a comment
Here is what I am thinking: 1. Trade for Drummond now in exchange for the following: Powell ($10.8 mil), Baynes ($7 mil), McCaw ($4 mil), and Bembry ($1.7mil). Pros: This would keep the Raptors core largely in tact, and Lowry in Toronto/Tampa for the remainder of the season. Cons: This would leave Nurse with less rotational player, but if the goal is to make the playoffs - the rotation is expected to shorten up anyways. 2. Pursue Drummond in the Buyout Market: Pros: Will avoid paying $28 mil for what appears to be largely a rental and avoid hitting the luxury tax - which the MLSE is unlikely to pay for if the Raptors miss the Playoffs. Cons: There are other potential buyers that the Raptors will have to compete against, who could use a Drummond but cannot trade for because they can't either make the salary work OR do not have enough picks to send back to complete the trade - teams like the Mavericks or Nets fit this bill.
Here is what I am thinking: 1. Trade for Drummond now in exchange for the following: Powell ($10.8 mil), Baynes ($7 mil), McCaw ($4 mil), and Bembry ($1.7mil). Pros: This would keep the Raptors core largely in tact, and Lowry in Toronto/Tampa for the remainder of the season. Cons: This would leave Nurse with less rotational player, but if the goal is to make the playoffs - the rotation is expected to shorten up anyways. 2. Pursue Drummond in the Buyout Market: Pros: Will avoid paying $28 mil for what appears to be largely a rental and avoid hitting the luxury tax - which the MLSE is unlikely to pay for if the Raptors miss the Playoffs. Cons: There are other potential buyers that the Raptors will have to compete against, who could use a Drummond but cannot trade for because they can't either make the salary work OR do not have enough picks to send back to complete the trade - teams like the Mavericks or Nets fit this bill.
Here is what I am thinking: 1. Trade for Drummond now in exchange for the following: Powell ($10.8 mil), Baynes ($7 mil), McCaw ($4 mil), and Bembry ($1.7mil). Pros: This would keep the Raptors core largely in tact, and Lowry in Toronto/Tampa for the remainder of the season. Cons: This would leave Nurse with less rotational player, but if the goal is to make the playoffs - the rotation is expected to shorten up anyways. 2. Pursue Drummond in the Buyout Market: Pros: Will avoid paying $28 mil for what appears to be largely a rental and avoid hitting the luxury tax - which the MLSE is unlikely to pay for if the Raptors miss the Playoffs. Cons: There are other potential buyers that the Raptors will have to compete against, who could use a Drummond but cannot trade for because they can't either make the salary work OR do not have enough picks to send back to complete the trade - teams like the Mavericks or Nets fit this bill.
Toronto should get Whiteside, he only has a year left if i'm remembering correctly and he wouldn't even cost much (we could keep Norm!). He also gives us a lot of blocks for not many minutes, which helps as it's one of Baynes' many shortcomings. This most definitely will not make us contenders, but it will solve our main problem for the time being.