Sixers

In a Move Zero People Expected, the Sixers are Signing Andre Drummond

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Aug 3rd, 2021 · 1:29 PM EDT

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Woj:

Free agent C Andre Drummond has agreed to a one-year deal with the 76ers, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 3, 2021

Neubeck over at Philly Voice says it’s a veteran minimum deal, which is crazy to me. Going out and getting 27 year old Drummond, who is a 10/10 every night player, to back up Joel Embiid? That’s a good bit of business.

This also tells me that Ben Simmons is done, because you cannot play a Drummond/Simmons lineup. There is not enough spacing and shooting with those two guys on the floor together. It would basically replicate the Simmons/Dwight Howard lineup, which was not good offensively. Ben needs to be staggered into a lineup with a mobile backup big who can shoot a bit. Think Ersan Ilyasova or small-ball Dario Saric. Drummond/Simmons just is not going to work offensively unless the other three players are Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and circa-1994 Dana Barros.

The funny thing about the signing is that Drummond was a Joel Embiid nemesis for years. You would never have imagined them playing on the same team after stuff like this:

I own a lot of real estate in @andredrummondd head and I’m on my way to build more 🏘🏘🏘 #Bum #TheProcess pic.twitter.com/Mrf2NcNL4r

— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) November 3, 2018

Once a #bum, Drummond is now Embiid’s backup. Funny how things change in the NBA. This suggests to me that they are going to trade Ben and wanted to get a serious #2 big, which is kind of like the Eagles and the backup QB position. It’s important.