NBA Trade Rumors: Drummond Move Hits Snag, Pistons May Adjust Demands

Andre Drummond finds himself sitting on pins and needles with no NBA trade getting closed as of now. With the NBA trade deadline roughly two weeks away, teams who were earlier linked to the 26-year-old center seem to have retreated.

Shams Charania of The Athletic recently reported that the market for Drummond is stagnant. It appears that the Detroit Piston's preference for a first-round pick or a promising young player has forced interested teams to re-think their strategy. This could be a big sigh of relief for the 6-foot-11 center who previously said he was no quitter and preferred to stay in the Motor City.

Among the teams strongly believed to be interested in the two-time NBA All-Star are the Atlanta Hawks. But as mentioned in a previous post, it appears the franchise has opted to move in a different direction to address its big man needs. They are reportedly checking the market for another big man available.

However, interest in Drummond could turn out to be a waiting game. For someone who is averaging 17.3 points, 15.7 points, and 2.7 rebounds, the 9th overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft could be a big asset not only for this season but moving forward. But the problem is Drummond's contract. Though he has one more year left in his current pact, he can exercise the player option clause and test the free-agent market. If he opts in, he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2021 per Spotrac.

Before the NBA trade rumor mill went into a frenzy, Drummond seemed determined to stay with the Pistons moving forward. The landscape will undoubtedly change if he is dealt to another team. But if he ends up liking his stay to that particular squad, he could either pick up the player option or re-sign with a better package.

The market for Andre Drummond could come to life once more if the Pistons relax their demands. However, keeping Drummond could also happen. The fact that the Motor City squad is at 9th spot with a 17-29 win-loss record shows they have an opportunity to make it to the NBA playoffs. However, going deep in the Eastern Conference does not look promising. That should also factor into what head coach Dwane Casey plans to do moving forward for Detroit.