That the buyout market has become a thing with NBA fans leaves plenty of league executives rolling their eyes. Some fans think of it as some kind of follow-up to the trade deadline where difference makers can be found, when in reality it’s players other teams pay to go away.
Still, teams can find depth or sometimes fill a need on the buyout market, it has a purpose. Already this season, we have seen Spencer Dinwiddie land with the Lakers, Kyle Lowry will be a backup point guard for the 76ers, Thaddeus Young will play for the Suns, and Delon Wright is headed to the Heat.
Who is still available? Here’s a list of recent buyouts who have hit the free agent market (hat tip Hoops Rumors):
• Furkan Korkmaz
• Ish Smith
• Robin Lopez
• Kevin Knox
• Danuel House
• Cory Joseph
• Danny Green
• Joe Harris
• Juan Toscano-Anderson
• Chimezie Metu
• Frank Ntilikina
There are players that can help on that list, for example Ish Smith can fit into a point guard rotation and help, Robin Lopez is an experienced big off the bench, and the list goes on with players who are not game players but could bolster the right rotation. Some of these players likely land on teams before the March 1 cutoff to be part of the playoff roster.
Here are some players mentioned as potential buyout candidates we could see in the next week, although nothing is guaranteed.
• Seth Curry (Charlotte)
• Davis Bertans (Charlotte)
• Wesley Matthews (Atlanta)
• Patty Mills (Atlanta)
• Evan Fournier (Detroit)
• Shake Milton (Detroit)
• Troy Brown (Detroit)
This list is a little more promising. Both Curry and Bertans can shoot, as can Fournier in the right setting. Shake Milton has helped teams in the past and might again. These are some players who could fill a role in the right setting, but are not changing things dramatically for a team.
These are just a few names to watch over the coming week as the buyout market closes.
