Andre Drummond To Sign With Lakers

Andre Drummond To Sign With Lakers

NBA

Andre Drummond To Sign With Lakers

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The Los Angeles Lakers played the waiting game signing center Damian Jones to two 10-day contracts while hoping the Cleveland Cavaliers would fail to find a trade partner for the two-time All-Star Andre Drummond, the biggest prize of the buyout market.and then end up buying him out.

And the strategy worked out perfectly as the 27-year-old paint beast is headed to Staples Center, adding the much-needed size and rim protection that appeared to have been the Achilles’ heel of the defending NBA champions this season.

The Lakers felt confident they would convince Drummond to pick them over the L.A. Clippers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks by offering prospects of a serious title run and a spot in the starting lineup.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Drummond agreed to a contract allowing L.A. to sign him despite their difficult cap space situation:

Long-term Lakers target LaMarcus Aldridge also ended up on the buyout market with rumors claiming L.A. planned to reach out to the 35-year-old center. But the former San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers star wound up signing with the Brooklyn Nets instead, making the Lakers landing Drummond that much more important

The Lakers can finally celebrate a moment of joy after a rough stretch during which they lost Anthony Davis and LeBron James to injuries and then failed to bring in Kyle Lowry before the trade deadline. L.A. has one more open roster spot meaning their search of personnel upgrades might not be over yet.

It has been speculated that Avery Bradley, who was traded to the Houston Rockets on the trade deadline day, could also be headed for a buyout opening the door for a potential Lakers reunion.