Buyout season begins in the NBA
Trade season in the NBA is officially over. Buyout season is right around the corner.
Thursday at 3 p.m. ET was the last chance for teams to make deals for unwanted or underused veterans. Now teams that weren't able to move veterans, or took on veterans to get picks, begin thinking about buying out the rest of their deals.
Russell Westbrook is the most obvious one after the Lakers sent his expiring deal to the Utah Jazz Wednesday.
Another former Los Angeles point guard, Reggie Jackson, will likely get a buyout from Charlotte after the Hornets sent Mason Plumlee to the Clippers. The Clippers also sent John Wall to Houston in a three-team deal, even though the Rockets bought out Wall's $47.4 million deal for $41 million seven months ago.
It's hard to imagine Wall plays a single game for the Rockets. Same with three-time NBA champion Danny Green, who played just three games for Memphis in his return from an ACL tear last May.
All those guards could help a team, as could big man Serge Ibaka, who the Pacers are planning to waive. Yes, Ibaka is a Pacer, however temporarily, after Milwaukee traded Jordan Nwora, Ibaka and five second-round picks to get Jae Crowder. Indiana is getting three second-rounders simply for taking Ibaka and Nwora into their cap space temporarily.
Will Barton started 71 games for a good Denver Nuggets team last season and averaged 14.7 points. Teams who need scoring can also hope that Orlando buys out former dunk champion Terrance Ross.
Finally, there could be a former MVP on the market, if New York decides to buy out Derrick Rose, who hasn't played for the Knicks since New Year's Eve. But Coach Tom Thibodeau likes his leadership. And Knicks management likes that his $14.5 million expiring contract could be useful in the off-season. If Rose decides to give some money back, he could be freed from the world of Did Not Play-Coach's Decisions.
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