Despite no major Paul George news in the opening hours of NBA free agency, the Philadelphia 76ers are keeping busy. They have been mentioned as a team meeting with veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson. Nic Batum is reportedly not returning to Philadelphia. Now, the Sixers are reuniting with big man Andre Drummond on a two-year, $10 million contract. The deal was first reported by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
Breaking: The Philadelphia 76ers and free agent center Andre Drummond have agreed to a two-year, $10+ million deal, league sources told @hoopshype. Drummond gets a player option Year 2. During his career, Drummond has been a two-time All-Star and a four-time rebounding champion. pic.twitter.com/r9Z77n844C
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 30, 2024
Drummond previously played for the Sixers back in the 2021-22 season. He averaged 6.1 points and 8.8 rebounds in 18.4 minutes per game before being shipped to Brooklyn as part of the trade bringing Harden to Philadelphia at the 2022 NBA trade deadline.
It is not shocking to see the Sixers sign Drummond in free agency. According to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports, the team nearly acquired him from the Chicago Bulls at last season’s trade deadline.
Drummond, at 30 years old, remains one of the best rebounding bigs in basketball. He averaged 18.9 rebounds per 36 minutes in a bench role for Chicago over the last two seasons. According to Austin Krell of 97.3 ESPN, Drummond ranked in the 100th percentile last season in both offensive and defensive rebounding rate. The Sixers were victimized on the glass in their first round series loss to the New York Knicks. Adding Drummond should help alleviate some of Philadelphia’s rebounding issues.
What does the Drummond signing mean for current Sixers’ backup big man Paul Reed? The fan favorite’s time in Philadelphia is likely coming to an end. Drummond likely would not have signed in Philadelphia without being assured he would receive consistent minutes. In that case, it makes sense for the Sixers to get rid of Reed. The 25-year old’s $7.7 million salary for the 2024-25 season is non-guaranteed. The Sixers will likely look to send out Reed in a trade at some point over the next few days.
