The NBA trading deadline is Thursday afternoon, but it’s not over then. And if I’m the Bulls—well, maybe I am, in a way—I’m not done looking around.
We’re talking buyouts.
The Bulls have been cautious and smart in not wasting their money on backup D-League players or reserves, and they might now be in good position to make a more major move in the next week or so. That’s because up until March 1, teams can pick up a player if he has agreed to a buyout with his team and he’d still be eligible for the playoffs. The Bulls appear to be one of the teams prepared for such a situation given they remain about $1.3 million below the salary cap.
That means they can pay a player more than $1 million who has negotiated a buyout instead of the prorated NBA minimum of a few hundred thousand dollars. Thus, the player can make back perhaps all he has given up to get his buyout.
It is widely expected that power forward Troy Murphy, who is said to be waiting to be part of a potential Carmelo Anthony deal if the Nets are involved, is the prime candidate for a buyout. League executives generally believe he’ll end up in Orlando, which got weaker on the front line after moving Marcin Gortat. “That’s what I think Otis (Smith) is waiting for,” said one general manager. The Spurs also have been mentioned as a possibility for Murphy.
Basically, the buyout candidates are those players in the final year of their contracts, like Eddy Curry of the Knicks as well. If he’s not part of the Anthony deal, he’ll likely be bought out or more likely released. Who knows if he can play or even wants to. Maybe it’s worth a look for someone for a few months.
The most intriguing player to me is Detroit’s Tayshaun Prince. This business about Richard Hamilton being bought out seems ludicrous unless he were to give up $10 million. Detroit owes $25 million for the next two seasons after this. He’s likely not giving that up and they aren’t about to pay him and let him walk away for a few million dollars.
But Prince is in his final season making $11.1 million. You say the Pistons are in the fringe of the playoffs race, so why would they give him up? They’re not going anywhere and he’s leaving. They have a half dozen wing players and Jonas Jerebko returning next season. They have to get Austin Daye more playing time. With the team losing money and about to be sold, why wouldn’t they take back maybe $1.5 million for a player they’re not keeping? Prince could make it right back with a team like the Bulls, where he could play some shooting guard and be another scorer and defender who also can create off the wing, seemingly to me a far better prospect that many of the shooting guard targets who have been speculated about.
There has been talk, though, the Pistons could deal Prince this week for another expiring contract, like that of the injured Caron Butler, and perhaps get a draft pick and as much money from a team like Dallas.
So who else might take this route? It obviously has to be players whose teams aren’t going anywhere, unlike a player like Jamal Crawford.
Perhaps an Anthony Parker, though the Cavs seem to want to keep him. J.R. Smith, most likely if Anthony is traded, and maybe Kenyon Martin, as the Nuggets will be looking to save some money if Anthony is gone, as expected. One of the holdups in the talks supposedly has been the Nuggets wanting to save money right now and not after the season.
Jared Jeffries in Houston supposedly is a name mentioned about returning to the Knicks.
Perhaps T.J. Ford is he can find a place where someone would want him for short term. You’d say Michael Redd, though it’s questionable whether he can play. He is expected to return to try with the Bucks this week.
Maybe Morris Peterson and always Marcus Banks, wherever he is now. It’s not a big field to choose from, but sometimes one guy can make a difference, like P.J. Brown for the Celtics a few years back. And in the Bulls case they may finally have become one of those teams with their surge of late that players in that situation would want to come.
