Andre Drummond proves he can have an impact on a game. But does the veteran big man fit into the Chicago Bulls’ future?

The NBA trade deadline is Thursday, and the Chicago Bulls face a concern: What should they do with Andre Drummond? “It’ s not necessarily what Andre is or is not doing,” coach Billy Donovan said.“ I know he wants to be out there and I know he wants to be playing. But even with backup forward Javonte Green sidelined with a right knee injury, Drummond has remained a tertiary...

The NBA trade deadline is Thursday, and the Chicago Bulls face a concern: What should they do with Andre Drummond?

The center signed a two-year, $6.56 million deal in the offseason to help the Bulls around the rim. And when he has made his way onto the court, Drummond has achieved just that, averaging 18.7 rebounds per 36 minutes.

But Drummond’s playing time has dwindled severely with each passing month, dropping to only 7.8 minutes per game in January. He was benched for five of the last 10 games.

For the Bulls, it’s not a matter of Drummond’s effort or expertise, it’s an issue of fitting into a system.

“It’s not necessarily what Andre is or is not doing,” coach Billy Donovan said. “I know he wants to be out there and I know he wants to be playing. But we want to try to find some consistency.”

Drummond, 29, started the season — his 11th in the NBA — on a strong note, averaging 10.2 rebounds in the opening month. But even with backup forward Javonte Green sidelined with a right knee injury, Drummond has remained a tertiary player.

Drummond has been stalwart as he sinks deeper in the rotation, emphasizing the importance of a team-first role to maintain his mentality through longer stretches on the bench.

“When you focus on the stuff you can’t control, that’s when you start getting into that dark place, and that’s something that I can’t control,” Drummond said. ”It’s part of the game. The stuff I can control is being a good teammate, working on my game, staying in shape and being prepared when my number is called.”

After keeping Drummond on the bench for the entirety of Saturday’s win against the Orlando Magic, Donovan said the issue comes down to cementing a spot in the rotation.

Donovan preferred the look of Derrick Jones Jr. at the five, which provided the Bulls with more speed while maintaining a certain amount of length. He cited a lineup that featured Jones at the five and Green at the four — the Bulls have a net rating 12.7 in their 65 minutes together on the floor this season — as the preferable secondary rotation despite Drummond’s superior rebounding.

“When DJ has been at the five — if you look at the numbers of that lineup — it’s just been really, really good for us,” Donovan said.

Donovan continues to emphasize that Drummond’s time will come — even though he’s not sure when that will occur.

Drummond on Thursday showcased his efficiency: He had 15 points and 11 rebounds in 14 minutes, 44 seconds in the Bulls’ 114-98 victory against the Charlotte Hornets at the United Center.

Clearly Drummond won’t be as successful in some matchups, particularly against smaller lineups that prefer to push the pace and spread out oversized centers. But the Bulls also desperately need his presence on the boards — they rank 20th in rebounding and are the third-worst team on the offensive boards.

Drummond might not be able to keep pace with every lineup — but he also can’t get rebounds if he’s sitting on the bench.

“At some point we’re going to need Andre’s skill set,” Donovan said.

Whenever faced with the question of his limited playing time, Drummond emphasizes the same three things — staying ready, remaining prepared for his moment and being a good teammate. But he won’t pretend to be content with the status quo.

“I’m never OK with it,” Drummond said. “At the end of the day I’m a basketball player. I want to play. But the circumstances I’m in, I have to work my way back to where I want to get to. There’s certain routes I have to take to get there.”

For a player with Drummond’s balance of experience and remaining years in the league, it wouldn’t be outlandish to submit a request for a trade. But Drummond said that isn’t an option.

“Nah,” Drummond said. “I like being here, man.”

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