The Philadelphia 76ers wasted no time addressing two key needs that troubled them this season as NBA free agency kicked off on Sunday.
Reports indicate that the Sixers have signed veteran center Andre Drummond to a two-year, $10 million contract and veteran guard Eric Gordon to a one-year, $3.3 million deal. Drummond’s deal includes a player option for the second year.
Drummond is returning to the Sixers for the second time after stints with the Chicago Bulls and the Brooklyn Nets. The team had shown interest in acquiring Drummond from the Bulls earlier in the year but Chicago opted to keep him for the remainder of the season.
The 30-year-old center was highly sought after in free agency, having averaged 8.4 points and 9.0 rebounds in limited playing time for the Bulls. With the shortcomings of Mo Bamba and Paul Reed, the Sixers recognized the need for a reliable backup center behind Joel Embiid.
During his previous tenure with the Sixers, Drummond averaged 6.1 points and 8.8 rebounds before being traded to the Nets.
Meanwhile, Gordon provides the Sixers with additional three-point shooting, which was a weakness for the team this past season. Despite a midseason attempt to address the issue with Buddy Hield, the Sixers still struggled from beyond the arc.
Gordon, at 35 years old, brings experience and shooting prowess to the team. His signing on a veteran’s minimum deal offers a low-risk, high-reward opportunity for the Sixers.
Both Drummond and Gordon are expected to boost the team in areas where they struggled last season, with hopes of improving their performance in the upcoming season.
As the Sixers look ahead to the rest of the offseason, they aim to further strengthen their bench and potentially add another star player to their roster.
[Photo courtesy of Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports]
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