Detroit Pistons are peddling Andre Drummond to different teams

Former Team USA and Detroit Piston Center Andre Drummond is on the trading table as his contract comes to an end this season. The two-time all-star and three-time rebounding leader (including the last two seasons) is not likely to stay with the Pistons before this season ends. Several teams, including the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, and defending champions Toronto Raptors, have expressed interest.

Drummond is a rare diamond. There are 30-point scorers all the time, but a player who averages more than 16 rounds a game is unique. He is only the third player in the past 40 years to have it. He is also the third player to consistently achieve the "Moses Malone triple-double" of 10 plus points, 10 offensive rebounds, and 10 defensive rebounds. The last player to do it was another Pistons player turned Chicago Bull championship player, Dennis Rodman.

According to Fox Sports, Drummond has a $28M player option if he decides to continue playing for the Pistons next season. Insiders in the league claim that neither the Pistons nor Drummond are interested in it. The Pistons would instead trade him now to get something out of him, than lose him to free agency for nothing. At the same time, Drummond feels his current credentials can get him a better deal elsewhere.

It makes sense. A diamond player like Drummond, who can score and dictate the tempo of the game by dominating the possessions, will definitely fit in any team. That is why even strong teams such as the defending champions and the Celtics are interested in him. He is currently averaging 17.6 points, 15.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists a game this season.

Any team that can add five rebounds to their per-game averages can increase their scoring 5-10 points a game. In a close season such as this one, that's a big boost. Two teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, are dominating their respective conferences. However, everything else is close. The Bucks lost last year to the Raptors in the Conference finals, paving the way for their Championship appearance. The Golden State Warriors are out of contention this year, so a lot of teams have a real shot at the finals and, ultimately, the NBA Championship.