NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Bulls have lost their first player in free agency.
According to multiple reports, Andre Drummond will sign a two-year deal worth $10+ million with the Philadelphia 76ers. The big man previously played for the organization in 2021-22 before he was traded to Brooklyn as part of the James Harden deal.
Andre Drummond all but confirmed the news quickly on X, sharing that he was craving an East Coast staple:
Andre Drummond Heads to Philly
First of all, let me remind everyone that this is another manager slap in the face to the Chicago Bulls front office. While nobody expected to see the veteran center stick around, Philly was precisely the team that was reportedly prepared to trade for him at the deadline. The word was that Chicago had a deal done with the 76ers for multiple second-round picks, but they pulled out at the last minute. They had to remain competitive, folks!
Philly will now get their guy and the Bulls will land nothing in return. Drummond will bring elite rebounding ability and solid rim protection to a 76ers team that has lacked traditional size behind Joel Embiid. Over the years, Drummond has only become more and more comfortable in his backup role, proving to be one of the best reserves at the position in the NBA.
The big man averaged 8.4 points and 9.0 rebounds in just 17.1 minutes per game this season. He also appeared in 79 contests and played extremely well when asked to start in relief of Nikola Vucevic. Drummond finished with 14.0 points and 17.4 rebounds per game during his seven consecutive starts between Dec. 26, 2023, and Jan. 8.
For Chicago, this continues a roster purge. The Bulls already traded Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey. Rumors also continue to swirl about the availability of both Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, while DeMar DeRozan is now expected by many to find a new home during free agency. Regardless, filling the backup center position is now a must in free agency. We’ll see if this front office pursues another youngster.
