The trade deadline came and went, but that means it’s buyout season. Here are all the updates to keep you in the loop.
There was some speculation that Thursday’s trade deadline might come and go without many fireworks, as talks seemed relatively tamed in the days leading up. But as is often the case, a few major deals came out of nowhere to shake up the league’s landscape.
Most notably, the Cavaliers engaged in a comprehensive overhaul of their roster—Cleveland brought in Rodney Hood, George Hill, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. and gave up six players in total: Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Iman Shumpert, Channing Frye, Derrick Rose and Dwyane Wade.
While there were a number of players dealt—nine deals were made on Deadline Day—a number of marquee players who were rumored to be on the move stayed put, including Tyreke Evans, DeAndre Jordan, Marcin Gortat and Marco Belinelli.
With the deadline now in the rearview mirror, it’s on to buyout season. Many players who were recently moved (or not) will be bought out, allowing them to become free agents and sign with a new team. Title contenders frequently mine the buyout market to try to find a veteran piece who can help down the stretch run.
Here’s a roundup of all the talk around the NBA on the day after the deadline.
Latest news, rumors
• The Jazz acquired Derrick Rose in the three-team deal that sent Rodney Hood to Cleveland, but Utah is likely to cut the 29-year-old former MVP. A potential landing spot for him is Minnesota, where he’d be reunited with Tom Thibodeau. (Shams Charania, Yahoo! Sports)
• Isaiah Thomas’ agent, Aaron Goodwin, told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols that his client would not come off the bench. Now he’s saying that Thomas will start, and that he is ‘ecstatic’ about the opportunity to play up-tempo in Los Angeles. (Sam Amick, USA Today)
• The Bulls waived Tony Allen, whom the Pelicans traded to Chicago in the deal that brought Nikola Mirotic to New Orleans. He’s now available. (Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel)
• Joe Johnson, who was traded from the Jazz to the Kings, will be bought out by Sacramento. Two teams he could sign with are the Warriors and Celtics. (Marc Stein, New York Times)
• Boris Diaw, who is currently playing in France, could be available for the stretch run. (Tim McMahon, ESPN)
• The Kings would prefer Vince Carter, the oldest player in the NBA at 40, remains in Sacramento for the rest of the season. The two sides could work on a buyout if an enticing landing spot emerges for Carter, but the Kings want him to stay. (Marc Stein, New York Times)
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