RealGM

The deadline has passed and much to my disappointment, Vince Carter is still in the East. Now we enter that 9 day period of veteran buyouts where certain teams get an inexpensive rotation players to help them in post-season. I'm certain the Hawks won't benefit from this as players tend to flock to teams like Boston, LA and San Antonio. I would really like some form of reform in the rules to block this type of behavior that even most fantasy leagues prohibit in the name of fairness or at least create some regulation like baseball has. The rumor are already starting flow with names like Joe Smith, Malik Rose, Bobby Jackson, Drew Gooden, Jason Collins.

What's your feelings about the veteran buyout for playoff runs? Who do see moving?

It makes the playoffs more interesting because you see a higher quality of play- I really don't have a problem with it. I am surprised that the low level teams are so content to facilitate it though- they are paying the guy to play somewhere else for no real benefit to themselves. It would take the player giving up a signficant chunk of money before I would agree to a buyout.

Mikki Moore is likely to get bought out, too.

Since we have a full 15 under contract can we even add a player? Do we just have to release a guy from the end of the bench?

I think the kings are gonna keep drew gooden

I don't like it too, but I don't see how to change the rule:
- a team with a lower record can match the offer from another team ?
- you can't sign him for minimum contract ? (would fully count in tax numbers)
- you have to sign him for the remainder of the season and the following season ?

it's hard to find something, but it would be good to change it, like add some restriction to rule that allow you to take back a player you trade if his new team buy him out, SAN was ready to do it one more time if they had Camby for Bowen, Oberto and Hill (a supposed offer). It should not be allowed, at least every year (you do it last season, you can't do it this one or for two seasons).

^^How about you just forbid buyouts after the trade deadline. Delay any buyouts (of contracts that haven't already expired at the end of the year) till the offseason.

Hollinger ran down an entire list of players that he felt could be bought out and the list of possible destinations was a very short list. Is the list so short because those are the only teams likely to land someone or are those just the only teams willing to spend a little more or is the columnist with tunnel vision? I don't know the answer.

Rumors from Hollinger's per diem

Mikki Moore or Joe Smith to Boston (Joe Smith is close to KG)
Drew Gooden to Cleveland (played there last year)
Rasho Nesterovic to San Antonio (played there a long time ago)
Bobby Jackson to Boston
Jason Williams to Miami (played there recently)
Sam Cassell to New Orleans (not thought too likely)

And to no one in particular:
Chris Mihm (didn't look very helpful in his last game against us)
Jason Collins
Chucky Atkins

Most of the rumored destinations have either a team or teammate connection already. Maybe Atlanta is just screwed by a lack of networking.

I should have also said this is the time of year that teams announce injuries they were keeping quiet to not hurt them in trade negotiations. That's a reason to be a least favorite time of year.

Amare Stoudamire - 8 weeks
Danny Granger - 3 weeks
Manu Ginobli - 3 weeks
Mike Dunleavy - Indefinite