Three Things is NBC’s five-days-a-week wrap-up of the night before in the NBA. Check out NBCSports.com every weekday morning to catch up on what you missed the night before plus the rumors, drama, and dunks going that make the NBA great.
1) Five players to watch on buyout market
The NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and if you want to look back at the day — or to break down the Ben Simmons for James Harden trade — we’ve got you covered.
For NBA, it’s now buyout season.
Players in the final year of their contracts that were traded as an accounting move to save a franchise money — or a player a team hung on to so they could trade his contract, but then couldn’t find a partner — now get bought out (taking a few dollars less) to become free agents and sign somewhere they are wanted.
Here are five likely buyout candidates to watch:
1) Goran Dragic. Traded to the Spurs and soon to be bought out, it was considered a foregone conclusion the veteran point would sign with Dallas to play next to fellow Slovenian Luka Doncic. Then Dallas GM Nico Harrison blew that idea up.
Mavericks GM Nico Harrison says he sees his roster as "set" ... suggesting that he will not be looking additions in the buyout market.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 11, 2022
Now what? There are a whole lot of playoff teams that would be interested in Dragic as a backup point guard, and he’s going to listen to offers. The Bucks, Bulls, Clippers and others will be in the mix. What team will offer him the best role?
2) Robin Lopez. Nobody is sure why the Magic signed Lopez last offseason when they wanted to take a long look at Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Bamba. He has played solidly — like he always has — when called upon in Orlando. The Bucks are looking for depth at center with Lopez’s brother still out (although they did just trade for Serge Ibaka), and Golden State and Chicago could also be interested.
3) Gary Harris. The veteran guard has played solidly for the Magic — 11.7 points a game, shooting 38.8% from 3 — but is not part of the long-term future with the Magic and is expected by other teams to be bought out of his $20.4 million contract (unless Orlando wants to keep him for hopeful sign-and-trade fodder for the offseason). Many of the same teams interested in Dragic will have interest in Harris, plus a return to Denver is an interesting fit.
4) Tristan Thompson. He has been glued to the bench in Sacramento, who has all the centers, then was traded to Indiana as salary ballast in the Domantas Sabonis trade. Other teams expect the Pacers to buy out Thompson, and the veteran big man could get calls from all the same teams that are calling about Lopez.
5) Enes Freedom. He was already waived by the Rockets (who got him from Boston in the Daniel Theis trade, all part of the Celtics getting below the tax line) and is on the market. He has well established playoff limitations as a defender, but he hits the boards hard — particularly the offensive glass — and can make an opposing big man have to work hard on the defensive end.
2) Luka Doncic drops career-high 51 on Clippers
This is what the Clippers do, they may lose more than they win with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George out, but they are a gritty team that makes you work for that win.
Luka Doncic has a history of tearing up the Clippers — he has scored at least 42 points on them seven times now, mostly in playoff games — and he had to take over to get the Mavericks this win. Dragic scored 28 in the first quarter and a career-high 51 for the game.
Doncic finished 17-of-26 from the field and 7-of-14 from 3, and Dallas won 112-105.
3) Phoenix makes a statement, thrashes Bucks in Finals rematch
Last Sunday night, I went to The Crypt (still not used to that) and watched the Bucks beat the Clippers. Watching that game, it jumped out how much the Bucks looked like a championship-level team with an active defense, plenty of offensive weapons, a star in Giannis Antetokounmpo that impacts both ends of the floor, and their versatility.
Thursday night, the Suns mopped the floor with the Bucks, 131-107.
That doesn’t change the outcome of last year’s Finals, but it’s a statement from Phoenix that it is ready to take the next step.
“They’re the defending champs – we still hurt,” Suns coach Monty Williams said, via the Associated Press. “But from a confidence standpoint, for sure, it was a big game for us. I can admit it now.”
Chris Paul controlled the flow of the game with 17 points and 19 assists.
Deandre Ayton scored 27 points and Mikal Bridges added 18.
Highlight of the night: Here’s why Jalen Green is in the dunk contest
The rest of Jalen Green’s game is still rounding out, but the man can throw it down.
Last night’s scores:
Memphis 132, Detroit 107
Washington 113, Brooklyn 112
Miami 112, New Orleans 97
Toronto 139, Houston 120
Dallas 112, LA Clippers 105
Phoenix 137, Milwaukee
New York 116, Golden State 114
