Andre Drummond Reportedly Exercises $5M 76ers Contract Option for 2025-26 Season

Veteran center Andre Drummond has exercised his $5 million player option and will return to the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2025-26 NBA season, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

Few symbolize the plight of the traditional big in today's NBA better than Drummond. He went from earning $28.5 million in 2020-21 to getting the veteran's minimum the following season. Remaining a prodigious rebounder has only guaranteed him a bench role over the last few years, too.

During an appearance on Paul George's Podcast P show in January, the two-time All-Star expressed some regret at not evolving his game earlier in his career. He said he kind of rested on his laurels after signing his max extension with the Detroit Pistons in 2016.

Whereas other centers have adapted to the times by extending their scoring range and/or becoming stronger defenders under the basket, Drummond hasn't made that change.

He averaged 7.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 18.8 minutes per game across 40 appearances for Philadelphia. While Joel Embiid's persistent knee trouble opened a spot for him in the starting lineup, his playing time didn't increase too much.

Drummond said in March how "everybody knows I can get a double-double in my sleep," and that's true to a large degree. It doesn't take much for him to hit double digits in points and rebounds in a given night.

But his skill set simply isn't one that's valued as much by NBA teams as it was 10 or 20 years ago. While he provides good depth in the frontcourt, his flaws get more exposed the longer he's on the court.

For the Sixers, retaining Drummond helps given the ongoing concerns over Embiid's durability.

Philly is limited in what it can do at center because the team can't get another marquee big when it has a former MVP who's making $60 million a season. In that respect, Drummond's experience and his general consistency — for better and worse — make him a good cost-effective solution.