The NBA trade deadline came and went with little fanfare as the ‘blockbuster’ deal we were all waiting to hear about involved Danny Granger and Evan Turner. Without dissecting the excitement that was; suffice to say that Philadelphia stockpiled enough second round draft picks to make Bill Belichick drool while unloading Turner who was going to command more dollars than he was worth on the open market come next season. Indiana picked up a nice piece to compliment their playoff run and that about sums it up for trade day.
Now that the excitement (or lack thereof) has worn off, we can focus on what could truly affect the playoff picture and that is buyout day. Many an NBA team will be looking to buyout players for the duration of the season. These buyouts aren’t usually salary slashing necessities, rather a joint player/ownership agreement to part ways in a relatively mutual manner.
The players who are subjected to buyouts are veterans and those saddled with horrific contracts that are failing to live up to their dollar value. Despite all this, these buyouts and subsequent free-agent transactions can be quite impactful come playoff time.
Let’s take a look at some of the buyouts and those to come who could land a role on a playoff team.
On the note of the Granger trade, a buyout is in the works for Granger and the 76ers. The Sixers have no use for Granger and they certainly have no interest in signing him for a contract extension. Granger will soon be a free agent who can shop his services around.
Granger is a fairly big name as far as potential free agents go; however, he is hitting the open market for a reason. His production is slow to return to previous all-star highs and the injury concerns here are very real. Nonetheless, Granger is a lengthy forward who could pose serious matchup difficulties coming off the bench.
Granger’s services will be in demand and the Miami Heat figure to be front and center come bidding time. The Heat would love to have Granger in the wings should they matchup against the Pacers in the Conference Finals. Granger will not only provide some scoring and versatility but he will provide some insight into the Pacers inner workings and playbook. In a series that will be as tightly contested as that one, a single play could make the difference between an early tee off and a spot in the Finals.
Next up we have the New York Knicks who are looking to negotiate buyouts with Metta World Peace and Beno Udrih. MWP has real value for a club, he is coming off a season with the Los Angeles Lakers that saw him average nearly 34 minutes a night as well as 12.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 1.5 apg. Not only are these numbers indicative of his offensive contribution; however, MWP is always known for his defensive toughness and ability to compete in crunch time. Given these attributes, there is little doubt that MWP will be signed for the duration of the season should he clear waivers.
Udrih enjoyed a successful second-half of the 2012-13 season with Orlando as he managed to raise his season averages to 10.2 ppg and 6.1 apg. The resurgence did boast his off-season value and the Knicks bit. Now that the buyers remorse has set in Udrih is expendable. He will undoubtedly clear waivers and become a free agent.
A team will likely pick him up as an assurance off the bench as the point guard spot. I wouldn’t be too surprised to see the San Antonio Spurs try and recreate a homecoming of sorts for Udrih and in the process spell off Tony Parker’s minutes.
Moving from the bottom-feeding Knicks to the even worse off Orlando Magic. The Magic are finally parting ways with the maligned Glen Davis. Davis has cleared waivers and is now officially a free agent. His services will be coveted as Davis can contribute offensively and use his 6’9” frame to guard in the post. The Miami Heat will covet his services and will make a strong push to procure them for the playoff push.
Yet another Eastern Conference buyout took place in Atlanta as the Hawks paid out Antawn Jamison to never play for them. Jamison’s value is considerably less on the open market as he hasn’t been a factor for a number of years. The 15-year NBA veteran will be looking to latch onto a championship contender. Once those options are off the table, I would expect the Phoenix Suns to make a pitch to the versatile forward. Jamison is still in shape and he can stretch the floor in an offence like the one being run in the desert. After this season Jamison’s career is likely done so look for him to try and make a mark this season before the door closes for good.