The end of Andre Drummond's four-year max salary pact with the San Antonio Spurs marked an investment toward a new future, someday. In those four years, Drummond earned MVP honors and DPOY honors, as well as four championship rings. However, critics never quieted about his lack of scoring down low and failure to be effective from the perimeter. Therefore, a commitment from The Big Penguin to seek improvement in those areas was laced with contractual incentives for the King of the Glass, should he fulfill those goals.
On the heels of Dejounte Murray's MVP run last season, it became clear that Drummond had been a constant quality contribution to the team, but still hadn't advanced outside of those limitations. Over the summer in training camp, other Spurs players were already raving about his new vigor in scoring toward the basket and his noticeable improvement with footwork and dribbling. Thank you, Andre Drummond for being the glass-eating, shot-swatting king of the Spurs throughout 4 championship runs, and enjoy your new four-year contract, valued at 25m per, made possible via Bird Rights. While a slight discount from his previous 30m per pact, it still establishes and rewards Drummond as a member of the quartet, now that Fred VanVleet has been rewarded also. The Spurs are looking after their own and prioritizing defense, with internal and public consensus accepting that Drummond, a Defensive Player of the Year, is more than deserving of being part of it. To signify his new devotion to expanding his game, Drummond will begin wearing #3 this season.
Also progressing last season was Brandon Clarke, who despite Drummond's new deal, will still see an uptick in his role for San Antonio, fresh off signing a rookie extension. The Spurs once again are thirsting for that impenetrable defense of old; Clarke's raw athleticism is what drew San Antonio's eye a couple seasons ago. They've continued to like what they see, and hopefully Clarke will grow even stronger as a hardwood talent, fierce on defense and rim protection, put-back dunks, and rebounding the basketball. Practicing another season with The Big Penguin should work wonders for B.C.
