Andre Drummond Needs 'Sense of Urgency,' Stan Van Gundy Says

After a disappointing 2016-17 season, Detroit Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy offered a frank assessment of center Andre Drummond on Friday.

According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com), Van Gundy said Drummond should feel the pressure to improve:

"

I think that he needs to have a sense of urgency to elevate his game. He's been in the league five years now. He's still young. He hasn't turned 24. So he's got time. He's a very talented guy. He's been one of the elite rebounders in the league. He's got some great things to work with, but there's more there. The sky is the limit for him.

"

Detroit missed the playoffs with a 37-45 record, finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference.

Drummond made his first All-Star team in 2015-16, but his production slipped this season.

The No. 9 pick in the 2012 draft out of UConn, Drummond's scoring dropped from 16.2 points per game to 13.6, and his rebounding average also fell, from 14.8 to 13.8.

One of Drummond's biggest deficiencies is his free-throw shooting, as he shot a miserable 38.6 percent from the charity stripe this season.

ESPN.com's Zach Lowe reported in February that the Pistons were quietly exploring the trade market for both Drummond and guard Reggie Jackson.

A deal never came to fruition, and it may have had something to do with the fact that Detroit has little quality depth behind Drummond at center.

Neither Aron Baynes nor Bob Marjanovic brings the same skill set Drummond does, which gives the Pistons reason to see if he can reach his full potential.

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