The Chicago Bulls entered free agency intent on addressing the backup center position, and did so by agreeing to terms with Andre Drummond on a two-year contract.
Drummond, 28, is a 10-year NBA veteran with a pair of All-Star selections under his belt — although the last one came in 2018. A 6-foot-10, 270-pound center, he has had professional stints with the Pistons, Cavaliers, Lakers, 76ers and Nets.
Here is everything else you need to know about the Bulls' newest pickup:
Andre Drummond Hometown, High School
Drummond originally hails from Mount Vernon, New York, but he moved to Middletown, CT as a child and attended Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Hartford.
A five-star recruit and ESPN's No. 2 ranked prospect in 2011 (trailing only Anthony Davis), Drummond eventually committed to the University of Connecticut for college.
Andre Drummond College Stats, Highlights
NBA
Drummond spent just one season at UConn before entering the 2012 NBA Draft.
Although the Huskies followed up an title-winning campaign by amassing 20-14 record and earning a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, from which they were eliminated in the first round, Drummond was productive in his 34 appearances (30 starts):
| Season | Team | G | Min | PTS | FG% | REB | AST | BLK | STL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 | UConn | 34 | 28.4 | 10.0 | 53.8 | 7.6 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 0.8 |
That season earned Drummond considerable buzz. He was eventually selected ninth overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2012 draft.
Andre Drummond NBA Career, Stats
Drummond spent the first seven-and-a-half seasons of his NBA career in Detroit, and made the most of them. He received All-Rookie honors for the 2012-13 season, All-Star selections in 2016 and 2018, and led the league in rebounding four different times.
He also earned his lone All-NBA — third team — selection in 2016 after averaging 16.2 points, 14.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks in 81 games.
| Season | Age | Team | G | Min | PTS | FG% | REB | AST | BLK | STL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | 19 | DET | 60 | 20.7 | 7.9 | 60.8% | 7.6 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 1.0 |
| 2013-14 | 20 | DET | 81 | 32.3 | 13.5 | 62.3% | 13.2 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 1.2 |
| 2014-15 | 21 | DET | 82 | 30.5 | 13.8 | 51.4% | 13.5 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 0.9 |
| 2015-16* | 22 | DET | 81 | 32.9 | 16.2 | 52.1% | 14.8 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| 2016-17 | 23 | DET | 81 | 29.7 | 13.6 | 53% | 13.8 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.5 |
| 2017-18* | 24 | DET | 78 | 33.7 | 15.0 | 52.9% | 16.0 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| 2018-19 | 25 | DET | 79 | 33.5 | 17.3 | 53.3% | 15.6 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
| 2019-20 | 26 | DET/CLE | 57 | 33.0 | 17.7 | 53.3% | 15.2 | 2.7 | 1.6 | 1.9 |
| 2020-21 | 27 | CLE/LAL | 46 | 27.0 | 14.9 | 49.3% | 12.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 1.4 |
| 2021-22 | 28 | PHI/BKN | 73 | 19.7 | 7.9 | 57% | 9.3 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 1.1 |
| TOTAL | 718 | 29.6 | 13.8 | 54% | 13.3 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
Bold = Led NBA
* = All-Star
In February 2020, the Pistons traded Drummond to the Cavaliers in exchange for Brandon Knight, John Henson and a future second-round pick. After appearing in 33 games for Cleveland between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 season, he was bought out, and went on to sign with the Lakers, appearing in 26 games for Los Angeles between the regular season and first round of the playoffs.
Ahead of the 2021-22 season, he signed with the 76ers on a minimum contract to back up Joel Embiid, but was dealt to the Nets in Philadelphia's midseason trade for James Harden. Now, he comes to the Bulls to play the role of Nikola Vučević's understudy.
Andre Drummond Career Earnings
Drummond has made $138,538,705 in his career, according to Spotrac. The majority of that money derived from a five-year, $127.2 million contract signed with the Pistons ahead of the 2016-17 season.
For the Bulls, he will make a salary just above the league minimum, totaling $6.6 million over two years if he exercises his eventual player option for the 2023-24 campaign.
Andre Drummond Bulls Fit
Drummond will slot in as the Bulls' second-unit center and, the front office hopes, offer a steadier hand than any of the team's options at that spot last season, from Tony Bradley to Tristan Thompson.
Still an elite rebounder with some capacity as a passer and interior scorer, Drummond will be asked to fill in the gaps around the Bulls' bigger-name playmakers. That means defending with a high motor, generating extra possessions on the offensive glass and finishing scoring chances when called upon.