Andre Drummond Contract: Latest News and Rumors on Negotiations with Pistons

With less than two weeks remaining before the Nov. 2 deadline for rookie-contract extensions, mum has surprisingly been the word on Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond. On Tuesday, we found out why: Drummond doesn't want to negotiate until next summer.  

Continue for updates.

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Drummond to Become Restricted Free Agent Next Summer

Tuesday, Oct. 20

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said Drummond will not sign an extension before the deadline and will become a restricted free agent next summer, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Drummond, 22, could sign a five-year maximum extension that would pay him well into nine figures. 

Not only is Drummond going to be a restricted free agent, meaning the team can match any offer sheet he'd sign next summer, the burgeoning center is actually waiting to help the team. Langlois noted this decision was made due to a "trust" between Drummond and Pistons owner Tom Gores, centered largely around preserving cap space.

"Andre wants to be here long term," Van Gundy said, per Langlois. "He ... wants us to have the flexibility to continue to add people to this team."

The Pistons will have roughly $13 million less on their books heading into next summer if Drummond hits restricted free agency. While he will still have a sizable cap hold ($8.1 million), it pales in comparison to the $20-plus million he'd account for in the first year of a max contract.

The situation is similar to how the San Antonio Spurs handled Kawhi Leonard. The Spurs smartly kept his small cap hold on the books for as long as possible, which allowed them to sign LaMarcus Aldridge in free agency and go over the cap to re-sign Leonard. It's a tricky bit of NBA accounting that largely involves ordering signings in a particular way, but it's a savvy business move.

The Pistons can carve out max-level cap space next summer even with Drummond's cap hold on the books. If they make a major signing in early July, they can subsequently sign Drummond to the big deal we all know he's likely to receive and get the best of both worlds.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.