June 27, 2025
Sergio Estrada/Imagn Images
Will Andre Drummond's second tenure with the Sixers be another short one?
Andre Drummond has accepted his $5 million player option for the 2025-26 season, according to a report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
JUST IN: Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond will exercise his $5 million player option for the 2025-26 season, league sources told @hoopshype. During his career, Drummond has been an All-NBA selection in 2016, a two-time All-Star, and a four-time rebounding champion. pic.twitter.com/Ymg4vEdbxK
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 27, 2025
Drummond, who will be 32 years old next season, returned to the Sixers on a two-year, $10 million pact last summer, and the contract contained a second-year option. After a notably disappointing campaign, it appeared inevitable that Drummond would pick up this option rather than reenter free agency.
However, Drummond remaining in Philadelphia is not necessarily a given. He is eligible to be traded at any point after he officially executes his player option, and that $5 million could either be a burden to the Sixers' roster construction to the point the team tries to dump his salary or significant enough that it serves as salary filler and helps put a trade over the top.
For now, though, Drummond is on the roster. Adem Bona is certainly set to make a strong push to surpass him on the center depth chart and serve as the primary backup to Joel Embiid. If the Sixers are able to re-sign Guerschon Yabusele, he would certainly be ahead of Drummond within that hierarchy as well.
There was a thought when Drummond returned to the Sixers last summer that one of the greatest rebounders in NBA history would be the one to finally solidify that backup spot behind Embiid. Not only did Embiid appear in just 19 games, forcing Drummond into an oversized role, but when Drummond did get to play limited minutes he still was not nearly as effective as he has been for much of his 13-year NBA career.
Drummond's season was already falling off the rails, and on Dec. 23 he suffered a toe injury that really derailed him for the next four months, as he struggled to be consistently available. Drummond expressed confidence at the end of the season that the toe issue would be behind him soon, and made clear that his desire was to remain with the Sixers.
For now, he is getting his wish.
Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam
Follow PhillyVoice on Twitter: @thephillyvoice
