Free-agent center Andre Drummond is returning to Philadelphia, having agreed to a two-year deal with the 76ers worth over $10 million, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The contract includes a player option for the second year.
Before Scotto’s report, Drummond hinted at the deal himself by saying, “I’m in the mood for a Philly cheesesteak.”
Drummond, a two-time All-Star, initially signed with the 76ers in 2021 to back up Joel Embiid and fill in as the starter when Embiid was unavailable. He was later traded to Brooklyn that season as part of the James Harden deal.
After finishing the 2021-22 season with the Nets, Drummond spent the past two seasons in Chicago as Nikola Vucevic’s backup. He averaged 15.1 minutes per game in 146 games with the Bulls, significantly below his career average, but remained highly productive on a per-minute basis, averaging 7.3 points and 7.9 rebounds in that limited role.
The Sixers, who tried to acquire Drummond from the Bulls at the 2024 trade deadline, prioritized finding a reliable backup for Embiid, who has dealt with injuries and played just 39 games in 2023-24. Philadelphia reached a deal with Drummond just an hour into the free-agent period, making him the first free agent reported to have an agreement with a new team.
Given the terms of Drummond’s deal, the Sixers may not need to use their $60 million+ in cap space. They could spend that cap space elsewhere and then sign the 30-year-old using a portion of their $8 million room exception.
