Best Midseason Pickup of a Bought Out Player?

parsnips33 · Post #1 » by **parsnips33** » Tue May 23, 2023 7:57 pm

Is this Kevin Love for Miami? It's always been a rule of thumb that guys that get added to a team from the buyout market rarely make much of an impact, but between Love and Westbrook, seems like that trend was bucked a bit this year

Are there other notable examples I'm forgetting?

Rich Michmond · Post #2 » by **Rich Michmond** » Tue May 23, 2023 8:08 pm

Enes Kanter went on to start for a WCF team after the Knicks released him midseason.

Blake Griffin was a very solid contributor for the Nets in 2021. Ditto Joe Johnson for the Heat in 2016.

homecourtloss · Post #3 » by **homecourtloss** » Tue May 23, 2023 9:43 pm

parsnips33 wrote:Is this Kevin Love for Miami? It's always been a rule of thumb that guys that get added to a team from the buyout market rarely make much of an impact, but between Love and Westbrook, seems like that trend was bucked a bit this year

Are there other notable examples I'm forgetting?

Love is averaging 7/6 in 20 minutes per game on 55% TS. Heat are around 7 points per 100 possessions better with him off court. Slim pickings for this question but I don’t think it’s Love.

colts18 · Post #4 » by **colts18** » Tue May 23, 2023 9:45 pm

Kevin Love is not better than Birdman was for the Heat.

parsnips33 · Post #5 » by **parsnips33** » Tue May 23, 2023 10:04 pm

homecourtloss wrote:
parsnips33 wrote:Is this Kevin Love for Miami? It's always been a rule of thumb that guys that get added to a team from the buyout market rarely make much of an impact, but between Love and Westbrook, seems like that trend was bucked a bit this year

Are there other notable examples I'm forgetting?

Love is averaging 7/6 in 20 minutes per game on 55% TS. Heat are around 7 points per 100 possessions better with him off court. Slim pickings for this question but I don’t think it’s Love.

Huh, not sure why I thought he was doing so much better than he is

Russ would surely qualify, although I guess the circumstances are somewhat unique

Post #6 » by **cupcakesnake** » Tue May 23, 2023 10:17 pm

Boris Diaw got bought out by the Bobcats in 2012. He started for them every game of the WCF run that season, and was a huge playoff contributor for them for years. He rarely had huge numbers, but his defense and versatility were immensely valuable. I'd take him over Love, easily.

I also liked Ilyasova and Belinelli on the Sixers in 2018. They fell apart in the playoffs a bit but they helped the Sixers go on a 16-game winning streak to end the season.

Colbinii · Post #7 » by **Colbinii** » Tue May 23, 2023 10:33 pm

2020 Reggie Jackson was the first name that came to mind.

Owly · Post #8 » by **Owly** » Wed May 24, 2023 3:29 pm

colts18 wrote:Kevin Love is not better than Birdman was for the Heat.

Depends on definitions though, for if he's eligible.

I would think buyout would mean the player takes a "haircut" on what's owed to them, typically in season when the present team has either given or or is certain they have no use for them, and probably after the deadline so they can't be expiring salary ballast in a trade, with the player likely confident of drawing interest from a contender.

Andersen was amnestied in the offseason and then, (probably due to the personal life stuff?) not picked up until January.