Drummond could be headed to the Lakers, not Celtics
Andre Drummond reportedly has narrowed his list of teams to just two — the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers — but it doesn’t seem like the former is confident he’ll soon be wearing green and white.
“Source confirms multiple reports that Celtics are pursuing Andre Drummond, but adds the team believes he’s signing with the Lakers,” The Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy tweeted Saturday before Boston faced the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 9 p.m. ET tip.
ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski followed that up with a report of his own, too. Wojnarowski noted the Lakers, not Celtics, were a “strong frontrunner” to sign Drummond.
Drummond, 27, averaged 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in 25 games this season with the Cavaliers. The 6-foot-10, 279-pound center is a two-time NBA All-Star.
Drummond reached a buyout with the Cavaliers on Friday meaning he is able to sign with any team. Cleveland reportedly tried to trade the former first-rounder but was unable to find a suitor — likely due to his $28 million salary. Drummond’s next team now does not have any obligation to pay that sum.
Drummond has not played in a game since mid-February as both he and the team agreed he would not take the floor until a trade or buyout was completed. The University of Connecticut product was selected No. 9 overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2012 NBA Draft.