NBA Rumors: Tracking the Latest Buyout Candidates After the Deadline
The 2019 NBA trade deadline has passed, leading to the next meaningful period in the NBA:
Buyout season.
Teams around the league will now turn their attention to potential free agents. Whether teams failed to move certain players on their roster or acquired players with the intention of dumping them, there are a number of players potentially headed for the open market in the coming days.
Enes Kanter
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted Wednesday that buyout talks would commence if the New York Knicks were unable to move Enes Kanter prior to the deadline, but with no move made on Thursday, Wojnarowski reported the team is releasing the veteran.
Kanter averaged 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds with the Knicks this season but started just 23 times in 44 appearances. Playing time became scarce as of late, as he made just three appearances in the final 12 games leading up to the deadline.
The 26-year-old became outspoken about his reduced role, speaking out about his lack of playing time on a number of occasions.
While a team may worry about his becoming disgruntled with his role at some point, Kanter made it known last month, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, that he was fine doing whatever is asked of him as long as the team is winning.
Now, Kanter will have a chance to explore his market. Any team looking for a player who can put up double-digit points and clean up the glass figures to give the 6'11", 250-pound center a look.
Robin Lopez
The Chicago Bulls and Robin Lopez are expected to engage in buyout talks, according to Wojnarowski and ESPN colleague Malika Andrews.
However, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune quickly followed up Wojnarowski and Andrews' report by tweeting that Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson said there are currently no plans of buying out Lopez. Per Johnson, Paxson believes talks of a potential buyout hurt the market for the 30-year-old.
Lopez is averaging 6.2 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game. He has 46 appearances this season, including eight starts.
The 7'0", 275-pound center is owed $14.4 million this season and is scheduled to become a free agent this summer.
Ben McLemore
The Sacramento Kings are waiving Ben McLemore, according to The Athletic's Sam Amick.
The 25-year-old guard is averaging 3.9 points on 39.1 percent shooting in 8.3 minutes per game in 19 contests this season. Most notably, he is shooting a career-high 41.5 percent from three-point range in 2018-19.
After being the seventh overall pick back in 2013, it appears McLemore will once again be looking for a place to get his career on track. He spent the first four years of his career in Sacramento before spending last season with the Memphis Grizzlies. He was re-acquired by the Kings last offseason.
Milos Teodosic
The Los Angeles Clippers plan to waive Milos Teodosic, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.
While appearing in just 15 games this season, the 31-year-old point guard is averaging 3.2 points on 42.5 percent shooting, including 37 percent from distance, and 2.1 assists per game.
Teodosic is making $6.3 million this season, per Spotrac.
Haynes also noted the Clippers will waive center Marcin Gortat just months after acquiring him from the Washington Wizards.
