CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Andre Drummond is a free agent.
The Cavs finally bought out Drummond Friday, ending a saga that dragged on unnecessarily for six weeks.
Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com first reported the agreement, which came a day after the team was unable to trade the two-time NBA All-Star prior to the league's trade deadline.
“I want to thank Andre for his contributions to our team both on and off the court, and for his professionalism and mutual cooperation as we navigated through this process with him and his representation,” general manager Koby Altman. “We have great respect for Andre as a person and a player here in Cleveland and we are happy to have reached an outcome that is in the best interest of both Andre and our team. We wish him and his family all the best in the future.”
Drummond, who picked up a $28 million player option to return to the Cavs during the offseason, is now free to sign with a contender for the remainder of the season, or longer.
Drummond hasn’t played since February 12 after the two parties agreed he would no longer play to allow the Cavs to play 22-year-old Jarrett Allen, acquired in January from Brooklyn as part of a multi-team deal that saw James Harden head from Houston to the Nets.