SAN FRANCISCO – After the loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, in which a disconnected and frustrated Andre Drummond sat on the bench for a while outside his teammates, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach JB Bickerstaff said the organization is not afraid is not for difficult decisions.
Sitting Drummond definitely makes it.
‘We discussed it as a group and front office. “We had a conversation with Andre and his representative and thought we had come to the right conclusion that was best for everyone,” Bickerstaff said ahead of the final ride against the Golden State Warriors on Monday. ‘I have a lot of respect for Andre as a person and as a basketball player, and we always want to do what’s right for our guys.
‘Sometimes you are forced into difficult positions that are not easy to navigate. But in regards to ‘Dre and all that he has done and achieved and just as much as he has helped us, we thought it was the most beautiful thing to do for him.’
Drummond, who was kept out to rest on Sunday, will not play against Golden State. The Cavs will determine the other details in the coming days when they return to Cleveland after more than a week. They will discuss every possibility with Drummond and his agent.
Clearly, Drummond had his last game with the Cavs a little over a year after acquiring him from the Detroit Pistons in a beautiful deadline. The front office will now try to find a trading partner before the March 25 deadline.
“Obviously, none of us wanted this to happen,” Bickerstaff admitted. ‘I think you can’ let Dre speak for himself, but we had a good relationship. He likes it in Cleveland. So it was not something that could be easily decided. Clearly we felt the same way about ‘Dre. I have nothing but good things to say about him. Many of our early successes were on his back on both sides of the floor. We tried to make it work to the extent that we were trying to play those guys together, all that stuff, but it just did not work out. I really care about ‘Dre’ and have a good relationship with him, so that makes it even harder. ‘
Sources tell cleveland.com Bickerstaff had to speak to Drummond several times about his commitment on both sides of the floor after Jarrett Allen’s arrival in January. That’s when things started to turn around. Drummond, who played well early in the season, suddenly felt unwanted, was upset and allowed the emotions to have an impact on his performance, making it difficult for the Cavs to consider him more helpful.
But Bickerstaff said Drummond’s coaches and teammates remained respectful – even on Sunday night when he backed off the bench, it is expected to continue during this break.
“He’s been an excellent teammate all his time here in Cleveland,” Bickerstaff said. “He has good relationships with his teammates, from top to bottom. And he supports the guys. He’s really a good person. I do not expect that to change. Difficult? Yes. I do not want to deny it. I’m sure it’s not easy. But he was great with his teammates and also worked with his teammates. ”
These include Allen, who was brought to Cleveland to replace Drummond.
“They’re both class actions,” Bickerstaff said of Drummond and Allen. “They supported each other. We never had any friction, no problem between the two of them. ”
According to sources, there were no buyout talks between the Cavs and Drummond’s camp. No one currently believes this will be the final outcome. Although there is already a trading stake in Drummond, his $ 28.7 million contract makes a deal more complicated than it would seem.
The Cavs, who will have to re-sign Allen this season and probably extend Collin Sexton’s, will have to take back about $ 23 million in contracts to complete a Drummond deal. Although there are not many suitors who fit the parameters and have contracts to facilitate the salary adjustment, the Cavs can look for a third or fourth team to help facilitate. They do not want to sacrifice any assets to encourage a team to take Drummond’s voluminous contract.
The Cavs knew Allen would eventually be the long-term starting center. General Manager Koby Altman said just as much following the trade. Allen deserved the opportunity with his excellent play as a backup, but the organization felt it was unfair to limit Drummond’s minutes or place the two-time All-Star during this transition. With this move, the Cavs can look to their future for longer.
‘It’s a clear picture, isn’ t it? “Like now, you understand what lies ahead of you,” Bickerstaff said. And now you have to figure out how to make the best of it. Before you try ping pong make sure everyone gets a chance. Guys deserved those opportunities. You want to make sure they get the opportunities. I think this is now a clear picture of what we are moving forward. ”
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