Report: Hornets targeting Pistons center Drummond

The Charlotte Hornets may be gearing up to make a big acquisition, either before February's trade deadline or during free agency next summer.

Charlotte is eyeing Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond, according to Heavy.com's Sean Deveney, and the team has reportedly been interested in adding the three-time rebounding titleholder for over a year.

"He'll be a priority there," a league executive told Deveney. "It's just a matter of whether they make him a priority now and give up something to get him or try to make the move later. It's a very cautious group, (Hornets general manager) Mitch Kupchak and those guys.

"But they might want to get this guy into the fold sooner rather than later - there's just a lot of incentive there on both sides."

The 26-year-old Drummond has put up career highs in points (18.6), rebounds (16.8), assists (3.1), and blocks (2.1) per game so far this season. However, the eighth-year big man's production hasn't resulted in much team success.

The Pistons are currently 4-10, ranking ahead of only the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference. While Drummond has done his part, he's been without his usual running mates for large stretches so far this season. Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose, and Reggie Jackson have missed 28 games between them.

Complicating the Pistons' long-term outlook, Drummond is only guaranteed to be under contract through the end of 2019-20; his $28.8-million deal for 2020-21 is a player option. Pistons owner Tom Gores called re-signing Drummond a "top priority" as recently as last month, but with next summer's free agency class projected to be weak, Drummond is expected to decline his option and test the market.