Terry Foster: Pistons Should Sign Drummond To Long-Term Deal, Flaws And All
By Terry Foster
The Family Deal
Auburn Hills – The question no longer is if the Pistons should give Andre Drummond a long-term maximum deal contract, it is when will the team and Drummond come to an agreement?
Pistons owner Tom Gores reconfirmed that again during a courtside chat after the Pistons were swept in the opening-round of the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers and later inside the Pistons dressing room as he patted guys on the back and congratulated them for a job well done.
"Isn't it obvious," Gores said when I asked if he was a max player. "No one has done what he's done this season. Look at all the double, doubles."
The Pistons and Drummond are married to one another. They should sign him to a long-term deal, flaws and all.
People are correct that the Pistons cannot rely on Drummond late in games. He is the worst free throw shooter in league history and no matter how hard he and the Pistons coaching staff work on it, it won't change. History tells you that.
Teams will continue the "Hack a Shaq" strategy, deliberately sending him to the free throw line until the final two minutes of games. It has forced Coach Stan Van Gundy to remove Drummond at crucial times. That makes the hard working Aron Baynes your closer at center.
It also frustrates Van Gundy.
But here are the cold, hard facts. If you let Drummond walk, you get nothing in return. And DeMarcus Cousins is not walking through that door. In fact, the Pistons won't be able to sign another high profile center or power forward unless he comes in with enough fleas and flaws to make you shiver.
Detroit is not a free agent destination.
The last significant free agent the signed was Chauncey Billups at a time the rest of the league did not want him. And how did you like the Josh Smith, Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon signings?
Drummond might not be the perfect player but he works well enough with Reggie Jackson to make the Pistons better with growth and maturity.
"You have to look at every part of it," Gores said. "I think he has worked hard and he will crack the code. I am not worried about that at all. I think he is a great player. He deserves the max. He will figure it out."
Here is what Drummond won't figure out. It is free throw shooting.
Drummond is a career 38 percent free throw shooter and his best season came in 2013-2014 when he shot 41.8 percent. That is not likely to change much.
Let's examine some of the worst free throw shooters in history.
Shaquille O'Neal made 58.2 percent of his free throws but never shot higher than 60.9 percent during a full season.
Dwight Howard has gone in the opposite direction. He made 67.1 percent of his free throws as a rookie, but has hit 52.3 percent his last three seasons in Houston and is a career 56.8 percent shooter.
Drummond and the coaching staff worked on free throws every day, but he has a mental block that he cannot overcome. Drummond might need hypnosis more than another free throw lesson.
There are possible rule changes on the horizon that might help.
But this is what you get. Drummond can work on his hustle and desire and should become more of a professional.
We must understand that Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook are not walking through the door any time soon.
Drummond is not perfect, but he is not the perfect fit here. But this is as good as it gets. You either roll with Drummond or you roll with nothing.
(Foster can be reached at Terry.Foster@cbsradio.com. Twitter: TerryFoster971.)
