The Boston Celtics have “registered interest” in trading for Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond, reports Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill.
The Celtics have found themselves involved in several trade rumors involving a center despite doing very well with no marquee bigs on their roster, the thinking being postseason success against the likes of larger East rivals requiring some kind of mid-season move.
Few such rumors have had much traction due to the lack of available game-changing centers worth dealing one of Boston’s best players, and this latest one may fit that bill as well.
As great a season as Drummond has been having in Detroit, it’s unclear how the Celtics could trade for the Connecticut product without sending out one of Kemba Walker, Gordon Hayward, or Marcus Smart — a scenario ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported Boston being “unwilling” to do.
Salary matching the $27 million owed the 26-year-old center would require bundling several contracts in the case of Smart, and in such a scenario or one dealing fellow UConn product Walker’s $32.7 million deal for Drummond, any benefit of adding the 6-foot-10 big man would likely be negated.
Boston, Dallas, Toronto have also registered interest in Andre Drummond, according to sources. Drummond has relationships with Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Lowry
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) January 3, 2020
In the very unlikely chance Gordon Hayward has made it known he plans to leave the team in free agency this summer with a player option on the final year of his 4-year, $128 million contract, it could be a way to try and retain value, but at present doesn’t seem an especially plausible scenario.
There’s also the issue of Drummond’s fit, whose near-basket, non-shooting style of play doesn’t mesh well with what’s driven the Celtics to the third-best record in the league.
The possibility exists that Goodwill’s sources are framing routine calls between teams as the trade market unfolds as “interest” to drive up any potential asking price.
Whatever the truth of the matter may be, serious interest from Boston at this point seems unlikely at best.