Andre Drummond Told Teammates Cavaliers' Situation Was Worse Than Pistons

John Beilein's tenure as a professional basketball coach ended less than five months after it began. Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday night Beileien and the Cleveland Cavaliers would be parting ways only 54 games into his inaugural season. This is just another stage of the nearly-unbelievable dysfunction that has plagued the Cavs during Dan Gilbert's tenure as owner.

Apparently, things were so bad in Cleveland that Andre Drummond needed less than two weeks to realize his current scenario was far worse than the one he just left. The Pistons sent Drummond to Cleveland on February 6, and Shams Charnia reported today that the big man was telling teammates the situation in Cleveland was worse than Detroit, which isn't a great sign:

"Beilein tried but could never really adapt to the NBA. Even the new arrivals resisted him. Andre Drummond, who just got here two weeks ago, told teammates the situation in Cleveland was worse than Detroit, according to one source with knowledge of the conversation, and that it would factor into his $29 million option decision for next season."

- Shams Charnia, The Athletic

The Pistons have been stuck in no-mans land for several years now and seem to have finally decided to sell after getting nearly nothing back for Drummond and buying out Reggie Jackson. Detroit was 19-34 when they traded their prized big man and were getting blown out more often than not. Dwane Casey was calling out players like Sekou Doumboya in the press. I guess you can't say it was disastrous, given the supposed star of the team in Blake Griffin barely played this season and underwent knee surgery, but it definitely wasn't great.

Yet things are far worse than we could have imagined in Cleveland, apparently. Beilein is gone, so all the reported tension between players and staff should dissipate, but it's hard to imagine the quality of basketball will improve. The Cavs have made puzzling personnel choices over the last two years (not the least of which is even trading for Drummond in the first place), and don't have a clear path to contention. Things will get worse before they get better, as hard as that is to believe.