With the NBA offseason delayed, the new deadline for Andre Drummond to pick up his contract option for the 2020-21 season is October 17.
But it appears the two-time All-Star center won't make the Cleveland Cavaliers wait that long before letting them know his plans.
Appearing on the latest episode of 'STUpodity' on ESPN's Le Batard & Friends Network on Tuesday, Drummond was asked whether he planned to pick up his option or decline it and become an unrestricted free agent. In answering, the 26-year-old big man revealed he would "definitely" be picking up the option, which will pay him $28.75 million for the 2020-21 campaign.
"Yeah, it's going to be hard to give up, so you can count on me being in Cleveland still," Drummond said. "I definitely will be in Cleveland."
That Drummond will be picking up his option for next season hardly comes as a surprise, considering that it was already unlikely that he would be able to sign a contract for a higher salary on the open market. What's more is that it's possible -- if not likely -- that the league's salary cap will decline due to the loss of revenue from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which would have left the UConn product with even fewer suitors on the open market.
With Drummond picking up his option, Cleveland currently has more than $107 million in salary committed to its roster for the 2020-21 season, according to Spotrac.com. The possibility, however, exists that the Cavs could shop Drummond as a one-year rental to a contender willing to take on the final season of his 5-year, $127 million contract.
Acquired from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Brandon Knight, John Henson and a second-round pick at the trade deadline, Drummond appeared in eight games for Cleveland before the coronavirus brought the Cavs' season to an end. In 57 total games for both teams during the 2019-20 campaign, Drummond averaged 17.7 points and 15.2 rebounds, marking the third straight season and fourth time in five years that he's led the league in rebounding.