Source believes Cavaliers' 'best chance' to trade Andre Drummond is 'around the trade deadline'

If the Cleveland Cavaliers want to trade Andre Drummond, they likely won't do so until the 2020-21 season is underway.

"Multiple sources believe the Cavs' best chance to flip Drummond (provided he opts into his $28.7 million contract) would be around the trade deadline," wrote Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor.

The 27-year-old center is expected to opt in to his $28.7 million player option, as he is unlikely to make more than that as a free agent. Cleveland traded for Drummond last February, sending the Pistons John Henson, Brandon Knight and a 2023 second-round pick. But Cleveland is in clear rebuild mode and may try to trade Drummond in exchange for young players and/or picks.

While Drummond may not attract any massive trade offers, he is still young and has been one of the most productive centers in the league, leading the NBA in rebounds in four of the last five seasons. A team in need of a center may be willing to eat his contract for the season, knowing that they could let him walk or re-sign him for cheaper after the season.

Of course, Cleveland may want to see how he actually plays for their team before making any major decisions. So far, Drummond has only played eight games for the Cavaliers before the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Drummond has made it clear that he is prepared for whatever happens to him, as he said knows there are "no friends or loyalty" after he was traded by the Pistons.