Andre Drummond Willing to Take Lesser Role With Sixers

From the moment free agency officially kicked off Monday night, there has been a frenzy of signings. Teams wasted little to no time beefing up their rosters in

From the moment free agency officially kicked off Monday night, there has been a frenzy of signings. Teams wasted little to no time beefing up their rosters in preparation for next season. One team that completely revamped their roster was the Los Angeles Lakers.

Rob Pelinka has been hard at work bolstering the supporting cast around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Among the flurry of moves he made to get the Lakers back in the title picture, one included bringing back a familiar face. After one season away from the team, Dwight Howard is back in the purple and gold.

With Howard going back to the Lakers, the Sixers were once again in the hunt for a backup to Joel Embiid. In what many considered a shocking signing, the Sixers agreed to terms on a deal with former All-Star Andre Drummond. 

The 27-year-old most recently played for the Lakers, where he was acquired as a late-season pickup. Still being in the prime years of his career, Drummond will be a more than suitable backup for Embiid on a minimum deal. 

What made this move so shocking is Drummond's willingness to take a lesser role. Since his second year in the league, Drummond has started in just about every game he's played in. Now he will be coming off the bench behind the MVP runner-up. 

During his introductory press conference Thursday afternoon, Drummond spoke about this situation. Coming off the bench is something he has accepted and is more than willing to do for the team. 

"In life, things change. It's nothing that is affecting me at all or making me feel any kind of way. That's the role that has been given to me, something that I have accepted and am willing to do if it's in the best interest of the team," said Drummond. 

This outlook on the role is a testament to Drummond's maturity. At his age, he could certainly still be a starter in this league. 

With what he can still provide on the floor and the willingness to slide into his role, Drummond has a chance to be one of the best value signings of this offseason. 

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.