Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey says All-Star center Andre Drummond is “in the best shape since I’ve been around him.”

Casey expects a big season from Drummond, who will make $27.1 million in 2019-20 and has a player option worth $28.8 million for the 2020-21 campaign.

All signs point toward the Pistons big man declining that player option so he can make more money on the open market.

“One, his overall conditioning. He’s in the best shape since I’ve been around him, the year and a half that I’ve seen. His body is slim and trim, his body fat is down, he’s been in Vegas working with Coach Gerg (Tim Grgurich) and Sean Sweeney all summer religiously, two and three times a day. That in itself is going to pay great dividends,” Casey told Keith Langlois of Pistons.com.

“Watching him in pickup games, he’s running like a deer. His decision making, I think the 3-point shooting experiment, we kind of put that on hold in the second part of the year last year but still, catching the ball on pick and roll, making decisions, he’s doing a great job of that – a much better job than he did last year. That’s something he’s worked on this summer, making the right read, the right decision.

“With him, teams try to go small with a guy 6-7, 6-8, he has the ability and agility and speed and quickness that he can get out there and guard those guys. That gives him an advantage on the other end, where now I’m in a pick-and-roll situation, he’s got a 6-7 five man in front of him, he still can jump hook over him or kick out. That’s the part of his game, he’s doing a much better job with, his decision making. The third thing will be his finishing, finishing around the rim. He’s such a great offensive rebounder that he’s got to be able to finish once he gets it because he does a great job of crashing the boards and dominating the boards.”

Last season, Andre Drummond averaged 17.3 points and 15.6 rebounds for the Pistons while shooting 53.3 percent from the field. He recorded 69 double-doubles and helped Detroit make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Drummond has career averages of 14.1 points and 13.7 rebounds with the Pistons in 542 games. For Detroit to win a playoff series this upcoming season, it needs Drummond, Blake Griffin, Reggie Jackson and Derrick Rose to play at a high level.