Several NBA players stand out as top buyout candidates to help a contending team in 2021.
NBA buyout season is nearly upon as as teams begin to figure out their true identity ahead of the upcoming All-Star break. Teams with veterans on expiring deals can offer the buyout option to let that player join a contender and give young talent more playing time.
This process comes around every year and some big names stand out as candidates to be bought out in 2021. Five players in particular stand out as those to keep an eye on as contenders look to fill out their respective rosters.
5. Trevor Ariza
Trevor Ariza is an obvious candidate because he has not played in a single game this season since joining the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ariza was traded to the Thunder just days after being traded to the Houston Rockets back in November.
One factor in landing Ariza is that he has been out for personal reasons due to the custody of his child. He would have to say he is ready to return for contenders to keep him on their radar.
But let’s say Ariza does want to return on the condition he gets a buyout. He is a 35-year-old with plenty of playoff experience under his belt and also has a championship ring. Ariza can offer size at one forward spot and knock down 3s if need be as well.
Ariza is the opposite of a long-term piece with a rebuilding Thunder team. If he wants to return, he makes too much sense as a buyout candidate.
4. Andre Drummond
The Cleveland Cavaliers have placed Andre Drummond on the bench permanently until a trade partner is found. But is there any team out there willing to match what the Cavs want?
A buyout may end up being a more favorable option for both sides if the Cavs can save some money and Drummond can get back on the court with a contender. However, he would likely have to agree to take a pay cut just to get out of Cleveland. So this remains an unknown possibility.
Drummond going to the Los Angeles Lakers or Brooklyn Nets would totally change the way each team can operate. He would not show up as a focal point on offense and could grab 10-15 rebounds a night without having to worry about being a primary scorer. Such a role is what doomed his teams in both Detroit and Cleveland.
The big man is the most iffy candidate on this list because of his monster salary. He is going to want that money and is indeed entitled to what his contract states. The union may also not like it if he takes a huge pay cut just so he can play again. Draymond Green’s recent comments about Drummond point toward players not being thrilled with what the Cavs are doing.
3. JaVale McGee
JaVale McGee is an obvious buyout candidate over Drummond in Cleveland. He is on a small, expiring deal and should be open to wanting to join a contender at the age of 33.
McGee was traded to Cleveland by the defending champion Lakers before the season and has served as a great veteran leader on a rebuilding Cavs team. He is another player who the team is going to try to trade, but contenders may hold firm waiting for a buyout.
The veteran is averaging 7.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game this season in a reserve role. He is someone who can give a team 15-20 energetic minutes off the bench and can also change a team’s defensive identity thanks to his status as a seven-footer.
One note about McGee is that if he is bought out, he could not join the Lakers after they just traded him. He would have to be traded to another team and then cut for that reunion to become a possibility.
2. Wayne Ellington
Wayne Ellington is a veteran player on an expiring deal with the last-place Detroit Pistons. He is a classic example of an obvious buyout candidate.
There is really no reason to keep Ellington at this point. He was signed in December after being waived by the New York Knicks and is averaging just over 10 points per game in a starting role. The Pistons would be better off getting younger players on the court instead of someone who is not in the team’s future plans.
The veteran has appeared in the postseason with three different teams and just isn’t a great fit in a starting role at this point in his career. His ideal role is being a rotational player who can focus on shooting from deep and hitting a few key shots per game. Anything more than that is simply asking too much of him.
Ellington’s agent should be asking the Pistons about a buyout every single day. That way he can get out of Detroit and land on a team in search of his first NBA championship.
1. Blake Griffin
The Pistons have already banished Blake Griffin to the bench until they can find a trade partner for the All-Star forward. So Drummond is not the only one dealing with this unusual scenario.
A buyout is possible but probably unlikely. That is because Griffin has a $39 million player option for next season. The Pistons would have to basically pay him a giant lump sum to even get him thinking about accepting a buyout. The alternative is hoping they can trade him to avoid a situation where he is simply getting paid to sit on the bench all year.
If Griffin does get bought out, every contending team should be calling him right away — and so should the potential dark-horse suitors if he’s available at such a cheap price following a buyout.
He could reunite with former teammate DeAndre Jordan in Brooklyn. Or he could show up in Golden State and pair up with Stephen Curry as the Warriors seek a return to the postseason. The Lakers may even enter the sweepstakes with the pitch of being title favorites.
The Pistons are going to have a tough time coming up with a team-friendly way to get Griffin to agree to a buyout. But if it happens, the entire NBA playoff landscape could change instantly.