3 best players who could be available on the buyout market after the NBA Trade Deadline

The 2025 NBA trade deadline bonanza is over, but the chain reaction it creates still lingers via the buyout market.

Several cellar-dwelling teams added veterans before the Feb. 6 cutoff point to strike a deal, and they don't align with their organizational timeline. Subsequently, a mutual separation ensues as squads with championship aspirations circle like vultures to pry them away.

However, the buyout market is more complicated than it used to be, thanks to the tax aprons in the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Because of this, not every club is eligible to pursue players who become available:

As ESPN's Bobby Marks notes, there are seven teams over the first or second apron. By rule, they cannot sign a player who gets waived with a pre-existing salary of at least $12.8 million. So, not everyone can add a potential impact contributor(s) who may hit the open market.

Notably, two top prospective buyout candidates earn nearly twice that annually. Bruce Brown of the New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards veteran combo guard Malcolm Brogdon are on every contender's radar. Nonetheless, neither is reportedly expected to enter free agency midseason. But that doesn't mean there aren't other options that could legitimately influence the 2024-25 title race.

With that in mind, here are the three best possible non-Brown/Brogdon post-deadline buyout targets.

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3. Larry Nance Jr., Atlanta Hawks

Jovan Buha of The Athletic ($) recently connected Larry Nance Jr. to the Los Angeles Lakers. After their rescinded trade with Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams, they need the versatile Atlanta Hawks big man, or any five, for that matter.

Buha deemed Nance (plus the next person on this list) "relatively unlikely" to escape their respective situations. Yet, the Hawks have two centers ahead of him on the depth chart: Veteran Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu.

Alongside Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher, Okongwu is the future of Atlanta's frontcourt, rendering Nance expendable. The 32-year-old is a serviceable two-way contributor who could benefit from a change of scenery and provide value elsewhere.

Nance is a capable defender, three-point shooter, rebounder and offensive connector. He's undersized for a true center (6-foot-8), but his solid base and strength counteract the lack of height.

2. Chris Boucher, Toronto Raptors

As previously stated, Buha alluded to Chris Boucher leaving the Toronto Raptors midseason as implausible. Nevertheless, he's an intriguing player worth monitoring on a tanking team with a frontcourt logjam, especially considering his contract expires after 2024-25.

Boucher is a pliable forward who can also operate as a stretch five, thanks to his 7-foot-4 wingspan and ability to shoot the three. He's converting from downtown at a 37.1 percent clip on four nightly attempts.

While Boucher isn't the elite rim protector/shot blocker he once was, the 32-year-old can still contribute on that end of the court. Despite the length, his skinny frame results in him getting beat on the boards and in foul trouble, though the floor-spacing counteracts that.

As the long-tenured Raptor and last man standing from Toronto's 2019 title run, parting ways with Boucher would be more of a sentimental loss. But if the Raptors are focused on a youth movement and boosting their draft odds, he has no place in this rotation.

1. D'Angelo Russell, Brooklyn Nets

Like the Raptors, the Brooklyn Nets are ostensibly hoping the ping-pong balls land in their favor this offseason. Knowing this, they're doing too much winning when D'Angelo Russell is in the lineup.

Brooklyn is 6-8 in the 14 games Russell has been in the lineup since getting traded from the Lakers. That's nothing to write home about, but it's better than the Nets anticipated when they shipped out Dorian Finney-Smith.

Russell's returning for a second stint with the Nets, where he earned his lone All-Star nod in 2018-19, is a feel-good story. Although, from an on-court standpoint, it's impractical for both parties. The sharpshooting combo guard has a better chance of restoring his value elsewhere, in a competitive atmosphere, before hitting unrestricted free agency this summer. Alternatively, Brooklyn can continue making a push in the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes.

A microwave scorer and secondary playmaker, Russell profiles as an ideal reserve for franchises eyeing a lead dog off the bench. His defensive shortcomings are well-documented, though that's why a limited role on a contender serves him and the team.

DLo boasts a 36.7 career three-point percentage on 6.9 attempts per game. He's an efficient, high-volume marksman from beyond the arc. That skill set allows him to play alongside another ball-handler(s) as an off-ball sniper. Moreover, we all know his status as a clutch closer who isn't afraid to take and make big shots, which everyone needs in the playoffs.