NEWSLETTER
The Andre Drummond free agency experience comes with just as many highs and lows as the Andre Drummond on-court experience!
After an early report on Thursday stated that Drummond was likely to decline his player option and join the Dallas Mavericks in free agency, the big man did the exact opposite.
Indeed, Drummond has reportedly exercised his $3.3 million option for the 2023-24 season and will return as the team’s primary backup, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson also confirmed the news. The decision for Drummond comes just one day after starter Nikola Vucevic also recommitted to Chicago on a reported three-year, $60 million deal.
Drummond had until this evening to decide whether he would pick up the option or his unrestricted free agency. He publicly said earlier this offseason that he did plan to play out his full contract in Chicago and will now do just that.
While this gives the Bulls a little less flexibility as they head into Friday night, Drummond’s return is likely for the better. Without a big-time trade, Chicago was still going to have limited spending power regardless of Drummond’s decision. Now, they don’t have to add a backup center to their list of free-agent priorities.
Drummond should also still be considered one of the better backup bigs in the NBA. Limited defensively and sometimes inefficient around the rim, he is still a massive physical presence with good athleticism. He’s a strong screener, a lob threat off the pick-and-roll, and one of the game’s most elite rebounders. For a Bulls team that is very much lacking size and rebounding at other positions, losing Drummond could have been a major issue.
The Bulls will now head into free agency with their center rotation locked in. The priority will continue to be adding 3-point shooting and facilitating. More on some options for them below …
