Bulls' Andre Drummond Opens Up on Trade From 76ers Last Season

Bulls center Andre Drummond reflects on his time with the 76ers while discussing last season's trade.

Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond didn’t expect to be traded by the Philadelphia 76ers midway through his first season with the team last year. As the Sixers reached the trade deadline in February of 2022, many expected the infamous Ben Simmons saga to find its conclusion.

Unfortunately, Andre Drummond unexpectedly caught himself in the crossfire. 

“I’ve been a part of a lot of trade deadlines, you know, 11 years straight,” Drummond said before Friday’s meeting against his former team. “Anytime a coach calls practice off, something’s about to happen. I didn’t know it was gonna be me, obviously, but I knew somebody was being moved that day.”

Drummond reflected on his final practice session with the Sixers, which was canceled last February. After the canceled session, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers cited a lack of focus due to the trade deadline as a reason why he called it.

When Rivers addressed the media that day, Drummond was one of a handful of players that stayed on the court engaging in a friendly half-court shot competition. Not long after, he received word that he was Brooklyn bound in the blockbuster deal that sent Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Drummond, and draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for James Harden and Paul Millsap. 

“I definitely was blindsided by it,” Drummond admitted. “I didn’t think I would be involved in it, but things happen, and here we are.”

During the 2021 offseason, Drummond landed with the Sixers on a one-year deal. At the time, the veteran big man embraced a role as Joel Embiid’s backup, joining what he saw as a tight-knit group in Philadelphia with championship aspirations.

“I just think how much of a family this organization is — they welcomed me, they made me feel very comfortable when I got here,” Drummond explained. “As a team, we had a lot of fun as a team. We really cared about each other. We had one common goal, which is to win as many games as possible and be great.”

Drummond appeared in 49 games for the Sixers last season. The veteran averaged 18 minutes on the court and also picked up 12 starts in the absence of Embiid. He didn’t get to see the entire season through, which leaves the 29-year-old big man with nothing but memories that came during an unexpectedly short-lived stint in Philadelphia. 

“Sad that we had to break things up in February, I definitely miss playing here,” Drummond finished. “I had a lot of fun playing for Doc (Rivers). That’s somebody I’ve known since I was a boy, and I have so much respect for him. Having a chance to play for him was awesome. The city of Philadelphia, the fan base is one of a kind, man, I loved being here.”

After wrapping up the rest of his one-year contract with the Nets last year, Drummond found a new home with the Chicago Bulls in free agency over the summer. While the big man is happy with his current situation, it’s clear that the Sixers made a strong impact on him in such a short period of time. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.