6 best players remaining on the NBA buyout market and where they'll sign
A few interesting names remain on the buyout market. Let's make some predictions.
The 2024 NBA trade deadline has come and gone. Now, the next important date is March 1, after which waived players are no longer eligible for the postseason. So, if a player wants to secure a buyout and join a team for the playoffs, it has to happen within the next week.
I'll be honest — the buyout market is pretty dire right now. With Spencer Dinwiddie, Kyle Lowry, and Danilo Gallinari off the table, NBA front offices are starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel. The landscape could change over the next week. A lot of eyes are on the Charlotte Hornets and what happens with Davis Bertans. The Detroit Pistons also acquired a bunch of vets at the deadline. Obviously the Pistons aren't keen to dilute the youth in their rotation.
That said, we shouldn't expect any true needle-moving additions. Instead, teams with open roster spots will look to address marginal holes and add backend injury insurance.
Here are the six best buyout free agents right now, along with predictions for where they'll sign.
6. Juan Toscano-Anderson will sign with the Warriors
The Golden State Warriors have a couple open roster spots. The Warriors could promote from within — Lester Quinones stands out on a two-way contract — but still, a reunion with Juan Toscano-Anderson has its appeal. Toscano-Anderson started the season in Sacramento, but he experienced the best success of his career in Golden State from 2020-22.
For Toscano-Anderson, it comes down to whether or not teams respect him from 3-point range. His shooting efficiency has crated since leaving the Warriors. Maybe that's schematic, maybe that's a natural decline for a player who initially performed above his means.
On paper, JTA still checks a ton of boxes for Golden State. He can defend a few positions, provide connective passing, and finish off cuts to the rim. If he's hitting spot-up 3s, even better. Still, his slump over the last couple seasons should temper expectations, whether he ends up in Golden State or elsewhere.
5. Danny Green will sign with the 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers' busy trade deadline left them with three open roster spots. One went to Kyle Lowry, another went to Darius Bazley on a 10-day contract, and the other feels destined for two-way (contract) wing Ricky Council IV. That said, Bazley is far from cemented on the roster. The Sixers cut Danny Green early in the season to make room for the James Harden trade. Now, a reunion could be in order.
Green has fans in Nick Nurse and Daryl Morey. The 36-year-old spent two successful seasons as (mostly) a starter in Philadelphia. Now, he can pair back up with Kyle Lowry in the Sixers' second unit. Green is on his last legs in the NBA, but he's a heady team defender and bankable spot-up shooter who might have enough juice for one last postseason run — even if he's mostly offering support from the bench.