Lakers Rumors: Andre Drummond Was Promised Starting Role During FA Recruitment
Andre Drummond did not play in the Los Angeles Lakers' season-ending loss to the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of their first-round series.
That reportedly is a long way off from what he was promised when the Purple and Gold recruited him in free agency.
According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the team promised Drummond a starting role when they signed him. Alas, he was inconsistent throughout the season and playoffs and was part of a number of moves for the defending champions that did not work out as planned.
Stein noted that after acquiring Drummond, Montrezl Harrell, Marc Gasol and Wes Matthews, the Lakers likely will have to pay Dennis Schroder "more than they'd like to in free agency—after Schroder turned down a four-year extension offer worth more than $80 million during the season—or lose him without the means to sign a suitable replacement" without much salary-cap flexibility.
Drummond did start all 21 games he played for the Lakers during the regular season after the big man agreed to a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
On paper, the addition made some sense for the Lakers. After all, Drummond is a two-time All-Star and four-time rebounding champion who can help protect the rim, score on the blocks, control the glass and provide injury insurance for Anthony Davis.
He was solid statistically at 11.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game for the Lakers in the regular season, but he also brought plenty of limitations as a poor shooter who couldn't space the floor and would often clog the lane.
His presence also gave Davis less room to operate and didn't allow Los Angeles to exploit as many matchup issues with either AD at the center or the better-shooting Gasol on the floor.
Drummond averaged just 21.0 minutes in the five games he did play against Phoenix, and the Lakers went home much earlier than expected by many as the defending champions with LeBron James and Davis.
