DCZards wrote:nate33 wrote:Drummond would be awesome in the 1990's. He's a pretty good post player and can do things with his back to the basket. He's also a surprisingly good ball handler and passer for a big. He's a very good post defender with his size, strength and quick feet. What's too bad is that he doesn't really do the things that teams want in a center in 2020. He's not a great roll man because his hands are mediocre; he can't shoot; and he's not a great rim protector. He's just a difficult guy to work into the offense in a league where all 5 players are expected to contribute offensively. The best you can do with Drummond is tell him to crash the offensive glass (which he does very well).
I just don't think his offensive production or defensive impact are all that cumulative to an existing offense or defense. I'd rather have a guy like Bryant (or Holmes, or Theis, or McGee, or Powell, or Baynes) at roughly MLE money than pay the extra $15M a year for a modest upgrade in Drummond.
I agree that’s there is an argument for spending the money on a couple of cheaper big men rather than Drummond. And you’re right that Drummond can’t shoot and doesn’t fit the mold of a prototypical 2020 center....although I think the focus on that can lead to losing sight of what throwback centers like Drummond do well (like rebounding and shotblocking) and how those skills continue to be very important in today’s NBA.
I believe Andre has better hands than some of you give him credit for. And his steal numbers speak well of his quickness and high bball IQ. He also runs the court well for a man his size and would complement the fastbreak offense that I expect to be emphasized with the return of Wall.
Detroit is the fourth-ranked 3pt shooting in the NBA. I credit some of that to Drummond’s presence in the paint and his ability (the passing that you cite) to find open teammates on the perimeter. That's a strength in today's wide open, 3 pt shooting NBA.
If I could sign Drummond for $18-$20 mil I'd do it in a heartbeat.
Agree w/ Zards' analysis (but not with the idea of signing him; we just can't fit him into our salary structure). He's a tremendous player.
