The NBA trade deadline has passed with another flurry of trades. Now we enter “buy-out season” where several big-name players usually on expiring contracts that were on the market and didn’t get traded now could negotiate an early release. Likewise, some veterans who got traded to incompatible teams, perhaps mainly for trade-matching purposes, could also consider getting a buyout.
Players like Kevin Love were thought to be buyout candidates early on in the season but he’s playing a huge role in his team’s surprising success. John Wall was another player who had been considered a buyout candidate throughout the season but it seems like he is unwilling to negotiate one. Players that suffered season-ending injuries such as Ricky Rubio and Joe Ingles that could get waived won’t be discussed, but a team could play the long game and secure them now. The deadline for players to get waived and retain playoff eligibility is March 1.