Philadelphia 76ers: Andre Drummond is chaotic brilliance personified

When the Philadelphia 76ers signed Andre Drummond to replace Dwight Howard as their backup center, some fans of the Los Angeles Lakers had a good time clowning on the move.

They called Drummond washed, a poor offensive player and a stat stuffer who would often exploit getting his own rebounds on poor shot attempts to average a double-double.

Are there some funny lowlights of Drummond missing four layups in 10 seconds in a Lakers uniform? Most definitely, but to assume that Drummond, who led the league in rebounding four times in the last seven seasons, was legions worse than a 35-year-old eventual Hall of Famer who played a little less than 18 minutes of action in his 17th NBA season always confused me.

Even if Drummond never sniffs another All-Star game, surely he’s more valuable than his vet minimum contract would suggest, right?

Well, if the first two games of the 2021 NBA season are of any indication, the answer to that question would be a resounding yes, as while Dwight Howard is getting into fights with his teammates on the bench, Andre Drummond is pulling off plays like this for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Andre Drummond might just be the Philadelphia 76ers’ most entertaining player.

Is Andre Drummond Nikola Jokic? No.

Outside of also having an animal-themed nickname, the duo don’t have a whole lot in common.

But please, please don’t tell Drummond that, as in his mind, the two are one in the same.

In his two games of action with the Sixers, Drummond has spent far more time at the top of the key with the ball in his hands than any non-shooting big man has any right to, and yet, due to his impressive big man handles and ability to attempt highlight reel passes, it’s worked fairly well.

Even if his offense has been fairly non-existent, averaging five points in 18.5 minutes of action a night, Drummond has found a way to be one of the team’s more impactful bench players. He’s averaging 13.5 rebounds a night, which is nearly double what he averaged in the same role with the Lakers last season and has the rare distinction of putting up two assists, two steals, and two blocks a night from the center spot.

The sample size is very small, but Drummond is the only player in the NBA at the moment with that very specific stat line.

Setting stats aside for a moment, Drummond just looks incredibly happy to be playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. Whether it’s due to finally uniting with long-time friend Doc Rivers or being afforded an opportunity to basically run the offense as a second unit big without the pressure to be the “guy,” Drummond has been playing with a looseness that just wasn’t there in a purple and gold uniform, even if again, that could change with more games under his belt.

I mean, come on, you don’t pull off behind the back, no-look passes if you aren’t having fun.

Will Andre Drummond eventually settle down? Maybe so. Maybe he’ll focus more on averaging a double-double as he prepares to cash in on a flawed 2022 free agency market, and all of his offensive flair will disappear in favor of a more meat and potatoes style of play. But right now? Now, the “Big Penguin” is straight-up feeling himself as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers and that, my friends, is a fun sight to see.