Latest news with #AndreDrummond
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
76ers Get News on 2-Time NBA All-Star on Friday
76ers Get News on 2-Time NBA All-Star on Friday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Philadelphia 76ers are ready to take on the 2025-26 NBA season after drafting former Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe. The 76ers used their No. 3 pick on Wednesday to select the athletic guard. While that was already positive for the fans, another favorable news was announced on Friday. Advertisement According to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, backup big man Andre Drummond reportedly picked up his $5 million player option. Drummond will stay for another year with the 76ers as the backup center to the 2023 MVP, Joel Embiid. The two-time All-Star has been a serviceable contributor for the 76ers the past season. He appeared in 40 games and put up 7.3 points and 7.8 rebounds. With Embiid only playing for 19 games during the 2024-25 season, Drummond started for 23 games for Philly. Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond agreed to pick up his player option for the 2025-26 NBA Ross-Imagn Images Before the decision was final, Drummond hinted that he wanted to stay in Philly and play out his contract during his exit interview. The recent season was his first full campaign with the organization. Although, he played 49 games for the 76ers in the 2021-22 season. Advertisement "Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond will exercise his $5 million player option for the 2025-26 season, league sources told @hoopshype," Scotto reported on X. However, he has never been in the playoffs while a member of the 76ers. Next year, Drummond and the entire team are hoping to stay healthy and return to the postseason. Philly missed it due to the injuries their star players sustained, which led them to a 24-58 record. The former UConn star isn't the same star player he once was. However, Drummond is still a valued veteran player who can massively contribute to a title-contending team. Advertisement Related: Ace Bailey's Controversial Stance on 76ers Appears to Have Backfired This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Where The Sixers Stand Financially Heading Into 2025 NBA Free Agency
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 28: Eric Gordon #23 high fives Guerschon Yabusele #28 of the ... More Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Wells Fargo Center on January 28, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) The Philadelphia 76ers headed into the 2024 NBA offseason with the ability to create more than $60 million in salary-cap space. They proceeded to splurge on Paul George, Andre Drummond and Caleb Martin in free agency before re-signing Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. once they were over the cap. This offseason, the Sixers have far less financial flexibility. With Maxey, George and Joel Embiid all signed to max contracts, the Sixers are heading into free agency well over the projected $154.6 million salary cap for the 2025-26 season. Those three alone are earning nearly $145 million, so that trio combined with Jared McCain ($4.2 million) and No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe ($11.1 million) push the Sixers over the cap by themselves. That hasn't stopped the Sixers from being active in the days leading up to free agency, though. On Friday, news broke that Drummond would be picking up his $5.0 million player option. The Sixers also reportedly declined their $2.3 million team option on Jared Butler and their $2.9 million team option on Lonnie Walker IV. They also declined their $1.95 million team option on Justin Edwards as well, although they reportedly plan to re-sign him to a three-year contract with two guaranteed years. On Sunday, Oubre picked up his $8.4 million player option, while Eric Gordon declined his $3.5 million player option. That leaves the Sixers with nearly $177.6 million in guaranteed salary heading into free agency. That does not include No. 35 overall pick Johni Broome, whom the Sixers figure to eventually sign with the second-round exception, or Ricky Council IV, whose $2.2 million salary is fully non-guaranteed until Jan. 10. Even though the Sixers are already well over the cap, they still have business to attend to this offseason. They have a pair of key free agents that they're hoping to re-sign, and they could have a mid-level exception to spend on another rotation player. So, before free agency officially begins at 6 p.m. ET Monday, here's an overview of where the Sixers stand financially and what they can do this offseason. Financial Outlook With only nine players under contract (along with Edgecombe's cap hold), the Sixers are nearly $28 million over the $154.6 million salary cap. The main question now is whether they'll have access to the $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception or the $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception. If the Sixers spend anything above the taxpayer MLE, that will hard-cap them at the $195.9 million first apron. They would not be allowed to exceed that threshold under any circumstance. If they spend only the taxpayer MLE, they'd be hard-capped at the $207.8 million second apron. Realistically, the Sixers aren't going to use the non-taxpayer MLE unless they dump significant salary elsewhere. Doing so would put them at $193.9 million in salary if they don't waive Council or $191.7 million if they do. They wouldn't even be able to fill out their roster with veteran-minimum contracts ($2.3 million each) without crossing the first apron, which they wouldn't be allowed to do. The Sixers are far more likely to use the taxpayer MLE, which comes with the added benefit of hard-capping them at the second apron. Given the dearth of cap space around the league, that should still be enough money to help them land an impact rotation player. They'd also avoid the punishing restrictions that teams face when they cross the second apron, including not being able to aggregate contracts in trades and having their first-round draft pick seven years in the future becoming ineligible to be traded. However, not having access to the non-taxpayer MLE could prove costly when it comes to retaining one of their two key free agents. Key Free Agents Quentin Grimes and Guerschon Yabusele are the Sixers' top two free agents. The Sixers have repeatedly expressed confidence in their ability to re-sign Grimes, but keeping Yabusele could be far more complicated. Grimes is a restricted free agent, which means the Sixers have the right to match any offer sheet that he signs with another team. They also have full Bird rights on him, so they can re-sign him to anything up to a max contract. He's reportedly "looking for a contract that averages $25 million per season," according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, but the cap-space environment around the league could make it challenging for him to get that. The Brooklyn Nets are currently the only team that could offer Grimes more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. However, they seem far more likely to use that cap space to absorb contracts in trades. That might leave Grimes without significant leverage in negotiations, although he could always accept his one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026 instead. Yabusele is the far bigger concern from the Sixers' perspective. They only have non-Bird rights him, which means they can't offer him a starting salary higher than 120% of a veteran-minimum contract unless they sign him with another salary-cap exception. Unless his free-agent market is far less robust than expected, the Sixers will likely need to use the taxpayer MLE to re-sign him, and even that might not be enough. HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported Monday that the San Antonio Spurs "are among several teams expected to have interest in Yabusele," which longtime NBA insider Marc Stein later confirmed. As Scotto noted, Yabusele played with Spurs star big man Victor Wembanyama on the French national team in the 2024 Paris Olympics, which is what put him back on the NBA radar in the first place. The Spurs have the full non-taxpayer MLE to offer this summer, so they could easily outbid the Sixers for Yabusele if so desired. The chance to play for an up-and-coming Spurs team alongside a generational prospect (and fellow countryman) like Wembanyama could be more appealing than staying in Philadelphia, particularly given the miserable season that Yabusele just endured with the Sixers. Beyond Grimes and Yabusele, the Sixers might also pursue a reunion with Gordon even though he turned down his player option. ESPN reported that "a return to the 76ers is still possible," which suggests this could have been a financially driven move. Had Gordon opted in, he would have earned slightly less than $3.5 million this year. Now that he opted out, his minimum salary is north of $3.6 million, so he guaranteed himself at least a $165,000 raise as long as he finds some team that's willing to sign him. And if the Sixers do re-sign him to a one-year, veteran-minimum contract, he'll count as only $2.3 million against the cap instead of $3.5 million. This might be the rare win-win for everyone. The new league year officially begins at 6 p.m. ET on Monday, June 30, so it won't be long before we begin to get answers to the Sixers' most pressing remaining offseason questions. Although they can't purchase more fortune on the health front, they could at least insulate themselves better against the disaster scenario that unfolded last year. Unless otherwise noted, all stats via PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM. All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Follow Bryan on Bluesky.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Drummond reportedly picking up his option to stay with Sixers
Drummond reportedly picking up his option to stay with Sixers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia CAMDEN, N.J. — Andre Drummond's mind didn't change over the last couple of months. The veteran center will exercise his $5 million player option for the 2025-26 season to stay with the Sixers, HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported Friday. Advertisement Drummond indicated he'd likely return at his exit interview. 'There's more work to do,' he said on April 13. 'There's stuff that's missing that I haven't completed here yet, which is winning at the highest level. And I still feel that way now. I think we still have the pieces to win at the highest level and think I can be a big part of that, too. 'So my plan is to come back. Obviously, whatever happens in the offseason, happens. But my immediate plan is to be back here.' The other two Sixers with player options are Kelly Oubre Jr. ($8.4 million) and Eric Gordon (veteran's minimum, $3.5 million). On Wednesday night, No. 3 pick VJ Edgecombe said that he's 'teammates now' with Gordon, who he's played alongside on the Bahamian national team. Advertisement Drummond's 2024-25 season was disrupted by a nagging left big toe injury. The 31-year-old big man played in 40 games and averaged 7.3 points and 7.8 rebounds. Backup center has tended to be an important spot for the Sixers because of superstar Joel Embiid's injury woes. Outside of Drummond, the Sixers are young at the position. Adem Bona will be entering his second NBA season next year and Johni Broome is now in the mix after going at No. 35 overall in the draft.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hornets Projected to Trade Up in Latest 2025 NBA Mock Draft
Hornets Projected to Trade Up in Latest 2025 NBA Mock Draft originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Charlotte Hornets will be looking for every advantage in the 2025 NBA Draft. After finishing with the third-worst record in the league, they snagged the fourth-overall pick but are projected to move up into the top three. According to the latest mock draft from The Athletic's Sam Vecenie, the Hornets will trade No. 4 and No. 32 picks to Philadelphia 76ers for No. 3 and Andre Drummond. For context, here's his entire summary. Advertisement "No deal is close, and I'm sure the Sixers will continue to field offers until they get exactly what they want," Vecenie wrote. "But the most logical move is to trade down. At No. 3, the Sixers are atop a talent tier led by Edgecombe, Tre Johnson, Kon Knueppel and Ace Bailey. Some evaluators around the league would also throw Khaman Maluach and Jeremiah Fears into this group, and others would place prospects like Edgecombe and Bailey ahead and into their own mini-tier. For the Sixers, none of these prospects makes perfect sense. "With a couple of early second-round picks and salary flexibility to help the Sixers, the Hornets have the assets to jump one spot. Edgecombe makes the most sense with Charlotte's team built in between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller in the backcourt. He's tough and competitive, cares about winning and has been highly impressive in the pre-draft process. "The Hornets need a better defensive infrastructure surrounding their franchise centerpieces, and Edgecombe is a terrific defensive player with elite athleticism. He'd be a running mate in transition for Ball early in his career while taking on the toughest perimeter defensive assignments. He also has a lot of potential offensively because of his special athleticism, mixed with his ability to hit catch-and-shoot jumpers. But he needs to continue working on his ball skills, particularly with his left hand and the tightness of his handle. Still, he averaged 15 points, nearly six rebounds and three assists as a freshman and has a long track record of knocking down shots off the catch. Related: Hornets Can't Rely on LaMelo Ball's Inconsistency Next Season "If the Hornets think he's the guy, paying one of your two second-round selections while taking on Drummond's $5 million this year is worth trading up. The Sixers get financial flexibility by taking the Drummond deal off their books and would have an additional asset at the top of the second round. Maybe they could move into the latter portion of the first round? Sell it for future picks? They'd have options." Advertisement Related: Former Charlotte Hornets star Alonzo Mourning says routine check-ups saved his life—twice Vecenie believes the 76ers will take Rutgers' Ace Bailey, who is projected to the Hornets in several other mocks. Charlotte will keep the No. 34 overall pick and take Ben Saraf from Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany). The 6-foot-6, 200-pound guard with size and intelligence to be a high-level backup or rotation starter in the NBA. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Andre Drummond expresses confidence in Sixers for 2025-26 season
Andre Drummond expresses confidence in Sixers for 2025-26 season The Philadelphia 76ers were expected to contend for a championship in the 2024-25 season after making some big additions to the roster. President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey and his staff put together a star-studded roster led by Paul George, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey. However, the Sixers were decimated by injuries. The injury bug went through the entire roster and they were unable to have much success due to a lack of cohesion and consistent offense on the floor. Therefore, Philadelphia finished 24-58 and have the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Big man Andre Drummond, one of those big additions in the 2024 offseason, was limited by a big toe injury as he played only 40 games. He averaged 7.3 points and 7.8 rebounds in 2024-25 and is expected to return for 2025-26 on a $5 million player option. Drummond hopped on "On Par with Maury Povich" and discussed the season while also expressing confidence that the Sixers will bounce back in 2025-26: Listen, it was, uh… Injury bug was definitely alive for our team. And I don't want Philadelphia to lose hope in this team. I think our team is very well structured. I think we have the pieces to be very good. I think once everybody gets healthy and is able to play the full season, I think our team is going to be very scary. We have more than enough. We have more than enough to be a great team. I think it's just going to come down to health and how we approach our summer and how we're going to take care of our bodies and come back better than we were the year before. To Drummond's point, as long as the Sixers are healthy, they should be in the mix to contend in 2025-26. There is too much talent on this roster to flop as long as they can stay healthy. That's certainly a big *if* for this roster, but the talent is there on paper and should allow Philadelphia to bounce back in the future.
