Report: Boston Celtics among several teams that made serious offers for Andre Drummond

admin | February 17, 2024 | Boston Celtics | No Comments

It seems that one of the more popular hypothetical trade ideas for the Boston Celtics could have come to fruition, but the Celtics would ultimately decide to go in another direction at the NBA’s 2024 trade deadline instead. According to new reporting from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Chicago Bulls veteran big man Andre Drummond “also drew trade interest” from Boston before the Celtics “went in other directions.:

That direction would of course be their decision to trade for Memphis Grizzlies big man Xavier Tillman, Sr., who Boston picked up for the contract of forward Lamar Stevens and a pair of second round picks. According to Scotto, the Bulls were looking for a trio of second round picks to seal the deal for the UConn alum, which likely sunk the move for the Celtics with the Tillman deal on the table To be fair, Drummond is the better player, but one can also make the case that he duplicates a skill set Boston already has on their roster in Neemias Queta with Queta having upside for growth. As does Tillman, whose comparative youth at age 25 and expiring contract with Bird rights make the former Grizzlies big man a solid option for building out the team’s options in future, cap-crunched seasons.

It appears that the Boston Celtics entertained the idea of trading for Andre Drummond, a veteran center from the Chicago Bulls, but ultimately opted for a different route during the NBA’s 2024 trade deadline. Instead, they chose to acquire Xavier Tillman Sr. from the Memphis Grizzlies, trading Lamar Stevens and a couple of second-round picks in the process.

According to reports by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Bulls were seeking three second-round picks to finalize the deal for Drummond, which likely deterred the Celtics, given their pending deal for Tillman.

While Drummond is considered a superior player, some argue that his skill set overlaps with that of Neemias Queta on the Celtics’ roster, who has potential for growth. On the other hand, Tillman, at 25 years old, presents a younger option with an expiring contract and Bird rights, offering flexibility for the Celtics in future seasons constrained by salary cap issues

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