The Chicago Bulls were linked to several names in the annual roster realignment. And even though it’s not what most fans expected, they marked free agent center Andre Drummond just an hour after the negotiating window opened.
They later went into an agreement, and Andre Drummond signed a two-year, $6.6 million contract with the Bulls.
By signing Andre Drummond, the Bulls pulled one of the most underrated moves during the 2022 NBA free agency. The 29-year-old big man has proven to be a reliable player whose bruising style can blend with any team’s lineup. And the Bulls being a team that is already headed in the right direction, Drummond will, without a doubt, be an asset to them.
Andre Drummond will wear No. 3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/86mxXXD2f2
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) July 14, 2022
Backup Center for the Chicago Bulls
In Andre Drummond, the Bulls have found a backup center. He perfectly filled that role last season as the main backup for Joel Embiid before he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets.
Drummond has bounced around since his All-Star years with the Detroit Pistons during the mid-2010s. The league has just turned its back on him, which has led him to play for five different teams since the Detroit Pistons traded him to the Cavaliers during the 2019-20 season.
Before making his last three stopovers, Drummond became teammates with Lebron James at the Los Angeles Lakers. He had been on the dry end in Detroit that he decided to try it out with the Lakers if he could at least win the championship.
It is true that Drummond isn’t the most mobile, and his massive frame has also not been very useful as a rim protector. But he is undoubtedly an upgrade for the Chicago Bulls’ backup center. His experience, toughness, and rebounding prowess are definitely what the Chicago Bulls need at this point.
He played a major role in the Nets roster both on and off the court due to his easygoing personality. While the Brooklyn Nets had several center options, it’s Drummond who Nets Coach Steve Nash trusted with the role, especially for heavier minutes down the stretch last season.
Andre Drummond is 3/3 from 3 tonight 👀 pic.twitter.com/bTu7kJBq5z
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 10, 2022
One of the NBA’s Best Rebounders
Leading the league in 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020, Drummond is one of the most consistent rebounders in the NBA. Even though the 2020-2021 season saw a major dip in his playing time, he still managed 9.3 rebounds per game off the bench! He boasts an average of 13.3 boards per game over his career.
With him, the Bulls fans will definitely forget the pain of watching the bench unit give up so many offensive rebounds last season. The Bulls needed a rim protector really badly, and they definitely hit it on point by signing Andre Drummond.
The Bulls finished second-to-last on the offensive boards and third-to-last in overall rebounding last season. Rebounding and rim protection were actually their most glaring weak points. So they went for Drummond majorly to address this problem!
“He’s been an unbelievable rebounder and rim protector for the majority of his career,” said coach Billy Donovan.
The Chicago Bulls will use his rebounding ability to try and get things in line after a disappointing 2020-2021 season where they ranked in the league’s bottom half in total rebounding percentage. He will bring his ability to rebound at a high level, and if everything goes to plan, he might even lead the league in rebounding again because he has done it several times.
Andre Drummond:
“I’m on my way. By the time I retire, I’ll go down as the best rebounder ever — if not already.”
(via @ManthonyHearst, https://t.co/q6w9Ri20DE) pic.twitter.com/5efw5NUxDy
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) August 21, 2022
Drummond Brings Veteran Experience
Andre Drummond was picked ninth overall by the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2012 NBA draft. So he has been here for a while, and as he finds himself in the Bulls roster, he’s going to bridge a very wide gap. Drummond is only 29, but having over ten years in the NBA makes him a seasoned veteran who fans and players at Chicago can look up to.
Remember, the Bulls roster boasts an average player experience of 4.6 years in the NBA. At 36, new signing Goran Dragic is the oldest and most experienced. He’s taking over from 33-year-old DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic at 31, who have been the team’s veteran leaders. Apart from the three and a few others who are in their late 20s, the majority of the team is made up of young players who are still establishing themselves. So Drummond will be a perfect addition to the Bulls’ roster.
“This is a team that is very young and hungry, we’re in a position to do something very special. I wanted to be part of that, Drummond said.”
The Bulls already have an advantage on their guards, so the addition of Drummond and the return of forward Patrick Williams means they’ll bring a more considerable impression this season.
In the lab. 💪@AndreDrummond | #BullsNation pic.twitter.com/k267HDT31s
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) September 15, 2022
Credits on Featured Image: Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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