Several notable teams are reportedly in the pressures of the Andre Drummond draws, but the Toronto Raptors probably need the Cavs’ big man the most.
To put it simply, the Raptors desperately need help reinforcing their insides, and the 6-foot-10 double-twin machine marks all the boxes they currently need.
Raptors fans know that Andre Drummond was forced to sit through the Cleveland Cavaliers in 25 games until they had a suitable trading partner, with a solid 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1 , 6 stems and 1.2 blocks.
Things have not gone well for the Raptors yet as they lost Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol in the off-season against Clippers and Lakers respectively. This highlights the need for Andre Drummond. The Toronto experiment with Alex Len certainly did not work, while Aron Baynes started at 5, achieving mixed results so far.
Head coach Nick Nurse has done enough with a small ball series at the moment, as the Raptors currently hold the seventh seed in the East with a record of 13-15.
The East has changed this season, and it looks like robberies are okay for the birds of prey if they plan to keep up. Acquiring a two-time All-Star like Andre Drummond would be a good start.
While a buyout is the perfect scenario for the Raptors to acquire the 27-year-old locksmith, Cavs will likely want assets in return.
The tricky part for the Raptors would be to fit Drummond’s remaining $ 28 million on his contract before joining the free agency next season.
In hindsight, the simplest offer the Raptors can offer is a straight Drummond for Kyle Lowry exchange.
It makes a lot of sense in terms of salary, because Lowry is also a contract expiring and the Raptors are apparently also open to saying goodbye to their franchise star.
The Cavs, on the other hand, can afford to sign Lowry’s $ 30 million contract with the Raptors and have significant headroom next season when he enters the market.
But it’s unlikely Cleveland will take on another playmaker as they put all their chips on their promising backcourt from Collin Sexton and Darius Garland.
The Raptors will have to separate from several players just to land Drummond.
The deal: Birds of Prey send Aron Baynes, Norman Powell, Terence Davis and Patrick McCaw to the Cavaliers for Andre Drummond
While the Cavs probably also want future concepts for Drummond’s services, this four-player pick is actually not a bad return for them from the Raptors.
Baynes gives them a decent rugby center for Jarett Allen, while Powell is a two-way Raptors asset that could strengthen their wings. Davis and McCaw are fillers to match the salaries, but they can also provide some valuable minutes for a Cavs team that needs skills.
Meanwhile, the Raptors will take the risk here, as they are going to lose some keys for a player that could be a very expensive hire.
Before the Raptors front office puts such a deal in place, they should at least get a verbal confirmation that Drummond will sign with the team again after the season.
Toronto can always fill their rankings with standouts from its G-league subsidiary, while there are still a few serviceable veterans on the market who can sign them up at a low price.
If the Raptors insist on taking Drummond out of a buyout scenario instead of a trade, chances are other teams like Mavericks, Clippers and Nets could pick him away.
