NBA Trade Scenarios: Will Andre Drummond Be the Answer to the Defensive Woes of Brooklyn Nets?

Published 01/27/2021, 5:00 PM EST

The Brooklyn Nets are a team to be feared this season. They aren’t the team of the old, as the franchise is now equipped with a lethal ‘Big Three.’ They have everything that is required on the offensive end, but what about defense? What about a solid center?

The Nets have everything in their bag to make them an undeniable favorite for the championship, except a solid defense. The lack of a proper post dominator is giving the team some harsh losses, and their current starter DeAndre Jordan hasn’t been up to the mark.

Jordan is 32-years-old and has been struggling to offer the Nets what they require from him. Though he’s an experienced center, the former Clippers star hasn’t been in the best of form in the ongoing 2021 NBA season.

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The Brooklyn Nets have a solid candidate they can recruit

The Nets are now clear championship contenders, and the franchise is now a destination for several players eyeing a championship in their careers. With the NBA’s trade deadline approaching soon, a few potential candidates might be of perfect help to boost the team for the second half of the season.

Zach Harper of ‘The Athletic’ published a report about early predictions of buyout scenarios this season, and he made a hilarious yet apt point about the current Nets team. “The defense department of this team looks as thin as Durant did as a rookie,” Harper wrote.

That is indeed the truth and Brooklyn needs to sturdy up its defense. Their current big-men are DeAndre Jordan, a 34-year-old Jeff Green, and rookie Reggie Perry. This would not be one’s ideal center lineup if they would want to contend for a championship.

Hence, the center position is what the Nets would be looking to fill in at the moment. And if one takes a glance at the market, the best option at this moment would be to sign Andre Drummond from the Cavaliers.

Can the Nets buyout Drummond from the Cavs?

Andre Drummond is in the final year of his contract and will become a free agent next season. Never before has he been in a perfect position to join a championship-contending team, and this is the perfect situation.

Moreover, Drummond is the ideal suitor that can bolster the Nets’ defense. His stats prove the case as the 27-year-old has four rebounding titles to his name. He can be a threat on either end of the court, and it would be an added option for Brooklyn.

Harper gave his verdict on how the Nets should work with a player like Drummond and wrote: “If you can get Drummond to run the floor, catch lobs, set screens, rebound the hell out of the ball and play defense, he’s a great option for someone like the Nets.”

Drummond will be another exciting player to put alongside the ‘Big Three’ even though his offensive inputs would be limited. That’s the only drawback from this deal, as his scoring numbers would take a dip if he moves to Brooklyn.

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But for a player as talented as Drummond, it would be the wise move if he looks to end terms with Cleveland and join the Nets in search of championship glory. Drummond is currently the second-best rebounder in the NBA and imagine how the Nets would look if he was stretching the floor for them!

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The Nets can certainly work a deal with the Cavs and buyout Drummond from his contract. It is quite essential that Brooklyn goes after a center before the trade deadline, or it might prove to be costly when the postseason arrives.

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Arjun Athreya is a senior writer at Essentially Sports and has been contributing since early 2020. Having developed an avid interest in sports at an early age, he pursued a Journalism degree and graduated from Madras Christian College. Arjun manages the Golf division and its content, and primarily covers news pertaining to the NBA as well.

NBA Trade Scenarios: Will Andre Drummond Be the Answer to the Defensive Woes of Brooklyn Nets?

The Brooklyn Nets have a solid candidate they can recruit

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Can the Nets buyout Drummond from the Cavs?