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SAN FRANCISCO – Following Friday’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, in which a disengaged and frustrated André Drummond sat on the bench away from his teammates for some time out, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach JB Bickerstaff, said the organization is not afraid of tough decisions.
Assis Drummond certainly confirms this.
“We discussed it as a group and as a front office. We had a conversation with Andre and his portrayal and thought we had come to the right conclusion that was best for everyone, ”Bickerstaff said ahead of Monday’s road trip final against the Golden State Warriors. “I have tremendous respect for Andre as a human being and as a basketball player and we always want to do what’s right for our guys.
“Sometimes you have to take difficult positions that are not easy to navigate. But when it comes to ‘Dre and all he’s done and accomplished and as much as he’s helped us, we thought it was the right thing for him to do.
Drummond, who was held Sunday to rest, will not dress against Golden State. The Cavs will determine other details in the coming days, when they return to Cleveland after more than a week on the road. They will discuss all the possibilities with Drummond and his agent.
That’s clear: just over a year after acquiring him from the Detroit Pistons under a superb deadline deal, Drummond played his last game with the Cavs. The front office will now try to find a business partner before the March 25 deadline.
“Obviously none of us wanted to come to this,” Bickerstaff admitted. “I think you can let ‘Dre speak for himself, but we had a great relationship. He loved her here in Cleveland. So it was not something easy to decide. Obviously, we felt the same about ‘Dre. I have nothing but great things to say about him. Much of our early success was on his back at both ends of the floor. We tried to make it work to the point of trying to play these guys together, all of that stuff, but it just didn’t work. I really care about Dre and have a good relationship with him which makes it even more difficult.
Sources tell cleveland.com that Bickerstaff must have spoken to Drummond on several occasions about his engagement at both ends of the room after Jarrett Allen arrived in January. This is where things started to turn. Drummond, who played well at the start of the season, suddenly felt unwanted, became upset and let those emotions influence his performance, which made it difficult for the Cavs to see him more useful.
But Bickerstaff said Drummond remained respectful to the coaches and his teammates – even on Sunday night, when he argued from the bench, which is expected to continue during this break.
“He’s been a great teammate throughout his time here in Cleveland,” Bickerstaff said. “He has a great relationship with his teammates, from top to bottom. And he supports these guys. She is a very good person. I don’t expect that to change. Difficult? Yes. I don’t want to deny this. It’s not easy, I’m sure. But he was great with his teammates and also engaged with his teammates.
This includes Allen, who was brought to Cleveland to replace Drummond.
“These are class acts, both of them,” Bickerstaff said of Drummond and Allen. “They were supporting each other. We never had any friction, no problem between the two of them.
Sources say there have been no buyout talks between the Cavs and the Drummond camp. No one currently thinks that will be the end result. While there is already commercial interest in Drummond, his $ 28.7 million contract makes a deal more complicated than it looks.
The Cavs, who are due to re-sign Allen this offseason and likely extend Collin Sexton, need to take back about $ 23 million in contracts to secure a deal with Drummond. While there aren’t many suitors who fit the parameters and have contracts to line up salaries, the Cavs could be looking for a third or fourth team to make it easier. They don’t want to sacrifice any assets to get a team to accept Drummond’s hefty contract.
The Cavs knew Allen would ultimately be the long-term starting center. General Manager Koby Altman said so following this exchange. Allen earned the opportunity with his stellar play as a substitute, but the organization felt it was unfair to limit Drummond’s minutes or bench the double All-Star during this transition. This move gives the Cavs a longer glimpse into their future.
“It’s a clear picture, isn’t it?” Like, now you understand what’s in front of you, ”Bickerstaff said. “And now you have to figure out how to make the most of it. Before you try ping pong to make sure everyone has an opportunity. The guys won these opportunities. You want to make sure they get these opportunities. I think now it’s a clear picture of where we are going.
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