Though there has been talk of the Houston Rockets needing to acquire a traditional center after trading Clint Capela, it doesn’t appear that GM Daryl Morey sees that as a necessity.
Now that Thursday’s NBA trade deadline has passed, veterans with expiring contracts on losing teams are typically candidates to have the remainder of their contracts bought out. It’s usually a means of doing a favor to the player and/or his agent by letting the player enter free agency and join a team better positioned to win that season.
Once trades are no longer an option, it becomes possible (if not likely) that the player could leave his team for no compensation in summer free agency. That means there’s not much downside to the team letting him go now, assuming they aren’t in a position to contend for the playoffs.
It could even be argued that there’s upside beyond a good-faith gesture for bad teams to buy out their veterans, since it could allow them to give more playing time to younger players needing evaluation and/or boost their odds of getting a higher draft pick by losing more games.
The Rockets currently have two open roster spots after sending away veterans Nene and Gerald Green in the four-way trade known best for the exchange of Capela for Robert Covington. Since Houston did not acquire a traditionally sized center in any of its pre-deadline deals, many wondered if Morey might add one via the buyout market.
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While Morey didn’t rule out a center in a new interview with USA TODAY Sports, he made it clear that the team’s biggest priority in the evolving buyout market is getting the best player, regardless of position.
Honestly, we’re just going for best player. We like how we’re playing. People are saying, ‘You have to get a big this or a big that.’ But we’re going for the best player. If that’s a big, we’ll go grab it and figure out if he can fit into our style. If it’s a wing, we’ll do that. We feel very comfortable with our roster. We like where we’re at. We think this is a team that can win the championship. But if we can add a good player in the buyout market, we’ll do it. But we’re not counting on the buyout market.
https://twitter.com/MarkG_Medina/status/1225803004411957249
To Morey’s point about liking how the Rockets are playing, Houston (33-18) has now won seven of its last nine games following Thursday’s statement victory on the road over the Lakers (38-12).
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And while deadline-day acquisition Bruno Caboclo isn’t a traditional center in bulk, the 6-foot-9 forward has a 7-foot-7 wingspan — which should allow him to provide a considerable shot-blocking presence.
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With Houston’s clear emphasis on floor spacing, one non-traditional buyout candidate of interest could be Charlotte’s Marvin Williams.
Now 33 years old, the 6-foot-8 forward is shooting 37.6% on 3-pointers this season with the Hornets (16-35). For his career, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft has averaged 10.3 points (36.2% 3-point shooting) and 5.2 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game.
How @hornets veteran Marvin Williams replied when I asked if he’s thought about requesting a buyout, for the possibility of playing with a contender: pic.twitter.com/mLwRSbCxcz
— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) February 7, 2020
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Williams is on HoopsHype‘s list of initial 2020 buyout candidates. Other names on that list potentially of interest to the Rockets may include Minnesota’s Evan Turner, Miami’s Solomon Hill, Detroit’s John Henson, and Charlotte’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
NBA buyout candidates: Who’s available after the 2020 trade deadline? https://t.co/JytCo4iFs6
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) February 6, 2020
It does not appear that Cleveland big man Tristan Thompson, who was rumored to be a Houston buyout target, is likely to accept a buyout, since it would cost him his Bird rights in this summer’s free agency.
Maintaining Bird rights could allow Thompson to re-sign with the Cavaliers to a big deal, or open more options for him in free agency via sign-and-trade possibilities — and that may be a factor that some other buyout candidates consider, as well.
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The league’s buyout market could take a few more days to fully take shape, with teams, players, and agents negotiating over exact financial terms. The deadline for a player to be bought out and still be eligible for the playoffs with a new team is March 1.
The NBA’s All-Star break begins next week, which could be the sweet spot in the schedule for negotiations to take place and teams such as the Rockets to potentially add and integrate a new piece to their roster.
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