NBA Rumors: 10 Players Most Likely to Be Cut in Aftermath of Allan Houston Rule

NBA rumors are non-existent now that the lockout is upon us. Only whispers of players looking to compete internationally are what’s left of the rumor mill.

When the NBA lockout ends, though, there’s a strong possibility fans will be hearing about another type of rumor. Not trades, not free agency, but cuts, and plenty of them.

Back in 2005, the league’s CBA included the Allan Houston Rule, which gave each franchise the option to release one player so that his contract wouldn’t count against the luxury tax, but the owner would still have to pay the player and it wouldn’t affect the cap.

There is a strong possibility that the rule could be added again in the upcoming agreement. If so, here are the 10 most likely players to be cut under the rule:

10. Travis Outlaw

Missing out on all of the big-name free agents last summer, the Nets chose to take a gamble on Travis Outlaw. Just one year later, it's pretty safe to say they lost.

Outlaw only averaged 9.2 points and four boards a game this past season, and he played 28.8 minutes. The Nets would be forced to pay him seven million dollars a year until 2015.

9. Al Harrington

The Denver Nuggets thought they knew what they were getting with Al Harrington last summer: someone who could score in bunches, but didn’t play much defense. It turns out they had no idea what they were getting, and they signed an Al Harrington who couldn’t score or play defense.

He only averaged 10.5 points a game last season, and only 5.6 in the playoffs. Harrington is due over six million dollars until 2013 and over seven million until 2015.

8. Richard Hamilton

The Pistons have been trying to trade Richard Hamilton for the last couple of years, but no one has bitten. They don’t need a suitor, though, with the Allan Houston Rule.

Hamilton is still a solid player, and could make an impact off the bench for a contender, but he’s 33 years old. Detroit is rebuilding, and he’s killing them by making $12.5 million each of the next two years.

7. Baron Davis

Cleveland is obviously in rebuilding mode. A team trying to return to playoff contention is not a place for a 32-year-old has-been.

The Cavaliers shopped Baron Davis before the draft, but with no luck. Davis is scheduled to make $14.0 million this season and $14.85 million next year.

6. Brendan Haywood

Yeah, Mark Cuban is filthy rich, but he wasn’t thinking when he agreed to this contract. Brendan Haywood is signed up as a Dallas Maverick until the summer of 2016. 

Haywood will make over $10 million in the final year of his deal. The seven-footer is 31, a backup-caliber player and he’s not even that talented of a backup.

5. Tyrus Thomas

The Bobcats made some good moves to get the franchise headed in the right direction so far this offseason. They signed Tyrus Thomas to a huge contract last offseason, but in hindsight, the offer was a mistake.

Thomas hasn’t been able to play more than 60 games either of the past two seasons, and he only averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds a game last year. The power forward is under contract until 2015, when Charlotte will be forced to pay him over nine million dollars a year.

4. Luke Walton

It is hard to believe Luke Walton used to start on the Lakers. He doesn’t make as much as most of the players on this list, but he does far less than everyone else.

Walton averaged just 1.7 points per game this season and 2.4 the year before, and he has a chronic back injury. He has two years left on his deal, in which he’ll make over $5.5 million each season.

3. Josh Childress

Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver gets sick every time he sees an afro nowadays. The Suns traded just a second round pick for Josh Childress, which seemed like a good deal.

Childress then went on to average just five points a game this past season. The wing will make over six million dollars a year through 2013 and over seven through 2015.

2. Rashard Lewis

The Washington Wizards would definitely be a fan of the Allan Houston Rule. They could rid themselves of the 31-year-old Rashard Lewis, who obviously isn’t part of the team’s future plans.

Lewis is scheduled to make over 22 million dollars each of the next two years. The three-point specialist is still a solid player, but he’s not 22-million solid.

1. Gilbert Arenas

No one benefits more from the rule than the Orlando Magic. Orlando will be in rebuilding mode soon enough, after Dwight Howard leaves for greener pastures, and Gilbert Arenas’ contract won’t make it easy to rebuild.

Arenas is due over 19 million this upcoming season and over 20 the next two. Maybe Agent Zero would be worth that much money, but not eight-points-a-game Gilbert Arenas.

David Daniels is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and a Syndicated Writer. Follow him on Twitter.