CLEVELAND — Center Andre Drummond is now a free agent and can sign with a contending team after reaching a buyout with the Cavaliers.
Drummond, who hasn’t played since mid-February, began negotiating terms of the buyout with the Cavs on Thursday after the club didn’t trade the 27-year-old before the deadline.
The agreement ends a partnership that became awkward when the Cavs benched Drummond to give young center Jarrett Allen more playing time.
One of the NBA’s top rebounders and a proven scorer, Drummond, who was under contract for $28.7 million this season, is expected to draw interest from several teams, including the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers.
He averaged 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in 25 games before the Cavs decided to give Allen the bulk of playing time.
MAVERICKS: All-Star guard Luka Doncic sat out Friday’s game against Indiana because of tightness in his lower back.
“He’s getting treatment, working on it,” Coach Rick Carlisle said. “He will travel. Hope he’s available tomorrow (at New Orleans on Saturday night).”
Doncic is fifth in the NBA in scoring at 28.6 points per game, 18th in rebounding at 8.3 and fourth in assists at 9.1. He was a first-team All-NBA selection last season, one year after being named Rookie of the Year. He has started the past two All-Star Games.
HORNETS: General Manager Mitch Kupchak says he’s not ruling out LaMelo Ball returning this season.
Kupchak says the rookie point guard will be reevaluated in “four or five weeks” after fracturing his right wrist on March 20.
If Ball is revaluated in five weeks on April 27, the Hornets would have about three weeks remaining before the end of the regular season on May 16. Charlotte is in the hunt for a playoff spot, so its season could stretch into late May and beyond.
Kupchak confirmed that the Hornets initially thought Ball’s injury was season-ending, but an MRI later revealed more details and created some optimism about a possible earlier return.
“What (the surgery) doesn’t do is preclude him from coming back this season,” Kupchak said.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
NETS 113, PISTONS 111: James Harden scored 44 points and Blake Griffin added 17 Brooklyn in his return to Detroit.
Harden was back after missing his team’s previous game because of neck soreness, and he added 14 rebounds and eight assists in addition to his big scoring night. Brooklyn was still without Kevin Durant (left hamstring strain) and Kyrie Irving (personal reasons), but the Nets had enough to hold off the last-place Pistons.
SUNS 104, RAPTORS 100: Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton each scored 19 points and Phoenix held on for a win in Tampa, Florida, despite not making a field goal in the last 3:50.
HORNETS 110, HEAT 105: Malik Monk scored 32 points, Terry Rozier had 26 points and a career-high 11 assists, and Charlotte handed visiting Miami its sixth straight loss.
TIMBERWOLVES 107, HEAT 101: Karl-Anthony Towns had 29 points and 16 rebounds, and Juancho Hernangomez scored 19 points off the bench as Minnesota closed with a 22-0 run to beat visiting Houston.
NUGGETS 113, PELICANS 108: Nikola Jokic had 37 points and nine assists and Denver finished with a 24-8 run to win at New Orleans.
Zion Williamson scored 39 points on 16-of-19 shooting to go with 10 rebounds and two blocks for the Pelicans.
MAGIC 112, TRAIL BLAZERS 105: Orlando got a look at its harsh new reality a night after trading away the core of its team, losing at home to a Portland squad playing without injured star Damian Lillard.
PACERS 109, MAVERICKS 94: Domantas Sabonis had 22 points and 15 rebounds, Malcolm Brogdon also scored 22 points, and Indiana won at Dallas.
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