NBA Rumors: Drummond's Long-Term Stay In Cleveland Is Not Looking Good

KEY POINTS

Andre Drummond is expecting a bigger return by opting in with the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cavs and Drummond are nowhere near contract extension talks
Cavs want to see Drummond play more games for better evaluation

The future of Andre Drummond with the Cleveland Cavaliers is not looking so bright, with reports that contract extension talks remain far apart.

Though the 27-year-old is said to be opting to don the colors of the Cavs for the 2020-21 NBA season, the next step after that is another story.

According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, Drummond and the Cavs management are nowhere near a potential contract extension. The reason behind it is that Cleveland is reportedly having second thoughts of extending a new deal to the two-time All-Star.

The Cavs feel that an eight-game stint with the team is not enough to assess the value that Drummond could bring in the upcoming season.

After getting traded by the Detroit Pistons to the Cavs, the 6-foot-10 cager averaged 17.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.4 blocks, per Basketball-Reference. Though those are impressive numbers, Cavaliers management remains cautious of committing to Drummond for now.

Securing Drummond to a long-term deal at this point is unlikely, but Cleveland wishes to see how things go come the 2020-21 season with the 9th overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft in their rotation.

Drummond is said to be looking for good compensation in return for opting in with the Cavs for the next NBA season. Though nothing has been set in stone at the moment, a clearer picture could be seen once the new season starts.

There will be two things to consider here. One is Drummond’s performance for the club and how well the team performs. Of course, Drummond is not expected to turn the fortunes of the club instantly. It needs to be a team effort – meaning the likes of Kevin Love, Collin Sexton, and the rest will have to jive with Drummond on board.

So far, Drummond has not shown any qualms with the snail’s pace addressing his future with Cleveland. Eight games will not be enough to convince management or any other team to lock up a player long-term. Though he had his share of good games in the NBA, the same must be seen with the Cavs who are hoping to come out with a better performance this 2020-21 NBA season.