3 ways Andre Drummond will immediately make an impact on the Lakers offense

Ever since superstars Anthony Davis and LeBron James went out with injuries, the Los Angeles Lakers have been struggling.

But there is reason for optimism, as Andre Drummond is now a member of the Purple and Gold.

The two-time NBA All-Star was signed by L.A. less than two weeks ago after he agreed to a buyout of his contract by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He brings career averages of 13.8 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks per game to the team and is expected to greatly help defensively and on the boards.

However, Drummond has the potential to also help the Lakers on the offensive end in multiple ways. After all, it’s the end of the floor that’s been a problem for them of late.

1. Second-chance points

When fully healthy, the Lakers are pretty adept at scoring off offensive rebounds. But without Davis and James, they’ve struggled in that department.

In the last 15 games, the Lakers are just 26th in second-chance points. Last season they were sixth in that category.

Drummond is a ferocious rebounder at both ends of the floor who possesses a strong motor. He’s almost like an industrial-strength vacuum when it comes to sucking up rebounds and giving his team possession of the ball.

He has always been one of the league leaders in dunks as well, which speaks to his ability to finish strong at the hoop.

2. Pick-and-roll

Last season, the Lakers had centers Javale McGee and Dwight Howard, both of whom were good at setting screens and rolling to the hoop for easy buckets.

This season’s starting center, Marc Gasol, is about as mobile as a crippled tortoise, and he’s never been a lob threat near the rim.

With Drummond on board, the Lakers can once again run pick-and-roll sequences with their center, as Drummond has the mobility and big body to make himself a nice target at or near the rim.

3. Fast-break points

Just like their 1980s iteration, the Lakers, when healthy, are arguably the deadliest transition team in the NBA, whether it’s on the primary thrust of the fast break or in early offense.

With his ample speed and athleticism, Drummond can run the floor and become a new weapon for the modern-day version of the “Showtime” Lakers.

James loves to throw long quarterback-type passes downcourt in transition to get teammates quick, easy hoops. When he returns to action, expect him to do so with Drummond whenever the latter makes the effort to sprint downcourt.

If James and Davis return soon enough and don’t suffer any setbacks, the Lakers should have as good a chance of any team of winning the NBA championship this summer.