On August 11, 2011, before he'd ever played an NBA game, Andre Drummond tweeted that one of his goals in life was to play with LeBron James. On Sunday, nearly a decade after that initial tweet, Drummond made that dream a reality by signing with James' Los Angeles Lakers. "To have the opportunity to come full circle and do it, it's crazy how time works," Drummond said at his introductory press conference Monday.
The newest Laker was all smiles on his first official day as a Laker. Why wouldn't he be? Drummond, 27, has never played for a contender. He has appeared in only eight playoff games, all losses, and obviously hasn't ever made it past the first round. Now he's playing for the defending champions, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to fit into that new situation.
"For me, I'm just here to help in any capacity," Drummond explained. "I'm not here to do anything besides win." He went on to add that he's lost between 10 and 15 pounds since being benched by Cleveland. That improved fitness will serve him well, but his fit in Los Angeles remains a topic of debate. The Lakers already have Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell at center, and of course, Anthony Davis will play the position quite a bit in the playoffs. Drummond revealed that he has spoken with Frank Vogel about his role, but played coy on specifics while acknowledging the sacrifices everyone will have to make in order to make this situation work. "I'm just here to help in whatever capacity it may be," Drummond said." I'm not here to steal nobody's shine."
Drummond's status for Wednesday's game against the Bucks is unclear, but he will make his debut with the team soon. The Lakers will need him. With James and Davis out, they are about to embark upon the hardest stretch on their schedule. Starting with that Milwaukee matchup, 11 of the next 13 Lakers opponents are currently slated to at least make the play-in round of the postseason, and real contenders like the Bucks, Clippers, Nets and Jazz all await them during this stretch. It will take time for Drummond to get acclimated, and the Lakers will have to adjust on the fly when James and Davis return, but they need all of the talent they can get if they are going to keep their heads above water for the time being. They signed Drummond in part to help them do that, and if his introductory press conference was any indication, he's ready to get to work.
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March 30, 2021 at 06:25AM
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Andre Drummond on Lakers: 'I'm just here to help in any capacity. I'm not here to do anything besides win' - CBS Sports
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