NBA Rumors: Andre Drummond believes he has Hall of Fame case
Andre Drummond spent last season in a reserve role for the 10th-place Chicago Bulls, averaging 6.0 points and 6.6 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per game. The 30-year-old has undergone a rather sizable role adjustment over the last few years, transitioning from a starring role in Detroit to full-time backup duties in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and Chicago.
It got to the point where Drummond took a mental health sabbatical last season. In a recent interview with Marcus Bagley on the 'The Comfortable Pod,' Drummond dove into his perspective on his unique career arc.
"I used to play 40-plus minutes," he said. "I was a star — All-Star, All-NBA, I've done it. Hall of Fame candidate, best rebounder ever."
That's a record-scratch moment for a lot of folks... Hall of Fame????
Drummond is rather confident in his case for the prestigious honor.
"I've done great in my career," said the two-time All-Star. "I think I have a chance to be a Hall of Fame player due to what I've done in my career. Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm in the top 20 for being in the Hall of Fame, so I have a great chance."
That is hot take certified. Nobody believes Drummond is a Hall of Fame player, but the center's case isn't completely without merit. He calls himself the best rebounder ever and the numbers back it up. His 24.85 rebound percentage ranks No. 1 all-time, comfortably ahead of second-place Dennis Rodman (23.44), per Hoops Rumors. Drummond has two All-Star berths and one All-NBA team on his resume and he won the NBA rebounding crown four times.
That's probably not enough to get Drummond serious consideration for the Hall of Fame, especially with a transition to role player before his 30th birthday, but Drummond has mounted an impressive — and probably underrated — career. He has been an easy target for jokes, but Drummond deserves the respect of his peers and fans.
NBA Rumors: Lakers maintain trade interest in Trae Young
The Los Angeles Lakers continue to monitor Trae Young's situation with the Atlanta Hawks. According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Young has "long been on Los Angeles' radar," with the Lakers primed to act if the Hawks' situation flies further south.
It's not terribly surprising for the Lakers to be on the prowl for another star — that has been the longstanding M.O. for LA, a franchise with natural brand appeal that few stars are immune to. LeBron is only the latest in a long line of NBA greats who have donned the Lakers' purple and gold. Most of the current generation grew up idolizing Kobe. The Lakers never have trouble recruiting star talent.
Young has yet to request a trade from the Hawks, but Atlanta's offseason centered on moves to make the roster younger, not necessarily better. Young is only 24 years old and he's under contract through at least 2026, so in theory Atlanta can afford to be patient. In actuality, however, NBA stars have more power at the bargaining table than ever before. If Young requests a trade and makes his displeasure known, he can absolutely force his way to a new situation.
Jason Reed of Lake Show Life was kind enough to put together the outline of a hypothetical Trae Young trade: Los Angeles receives Trae Young in exchange for D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino, two future first-round picks (2029, 2031), and two future first-round pick swaps (2028, 2030).
That's a good starting point for negotiations. With the current star market being what it is, the Hawks should probably hold out for more in real negotiations. Young is one of the best offensive players in the NBA and he's still young. He already took Atlanta to the conference finals once. Even if the Hawks feel inclined to rebuild, trading Young for less than premium value would backfire.
NBA Rumors: Spurs trade to pair Karl-Anthony Towns with Victor Wembanyama
With Victor Wembanyama in the building, it wouldn't be shocking to see the San Antonio Spurs make a swift pivot toward contention. Gregg Popovich is in the twilight of his career and Wemby, arguably the best NBA Draft prospect since LeBron James, should impact winning from day one.
The Spurs are loaded with quality young talent and role players around Wemby, not to mention a treasure trove of future picks. If R.C. Buford, Brian Wright, and the front office decide to win now, few stars make a more sensible target than Minnesota Timberwolves big Karl-Anthony Towns.
Minnesota's controversial decision to trade for Rudy Gobert yielded the No. 8 seed and a first-round gentlemen's sweep in the playoffs. Towns spent most of last season nursing an injury, so it's hard to write an obituary on the Wolves' twin towers experiment just yet, but the defensive fit is suspect. Anthony Edwards is also the new sheriff in town, so to speak. The Wolves' goal is the build the best contender around Ant, which could come at the expense of KAT if next season goes sideways.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report outlined the logisitcs of a potential KAT-to-Spurs trade. The Spurs get KAT in exchange for Keldon Johnson, Devonte' Graham, Cameron Payne, and two future first-round picks (2024, 2025).
That deal could work out for both sides. Minnesota gets a more versatile defensive four in Keldon Johnson, who also shows plenty of promise as an off-ball scorer and slasher. Graham and Payne would also bolster the Wolves' shoddy point guard depth.
As for San Antonio, the appeal is obvious: KAT and Wembanyama, in tandem, potentially form the best offensive frontcourt in the NBA. Both are three-level scorers who can push the ball in transition and navigate tight spaces off the dribble. KAT is arguably the best shooting 7-footer ever. Wembanyama can hit shots from anywhere on the floor and there's reason to buy stock in his playmaking for others.
Wembanyama is also a clean defensive fit next to Towns. Wemby is nimble in space and has the potential to completely wreck opposing offenses as a roamer while Towns anchors the paint, not dissimilar to Giannis' defensive role in Milwaukee. The Bucks have a better anchor in the middle than Towns, but Wembanyama is versatile enough to make the pairing work on both ends of the floor.