The NBA trade deadline is not the final opportunity for contending teams to improve themselves. There is also the buyout market, which was active this season. Let's discuss where players landed and what impact it has on their fantasy outlook and some of their new teammates.
Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Clippers
Westbrook was the biggest name to reach the buyout market. His tumultuous tenure with the Lakers finally ended when he was traded to the Jazz. With the Jazz in the first season of a rebuild, they decided to buy out Westbrook rather than have him take minutes away from some of their young players. Westbrook then latched on with the Clippers, a star-studded team that aspires to make a deep playoff run.
The Clippers have made significant changes at point guard. They dealt away Reggie Jackson and John Wall at the trade deadline while acquiring Bones Hyland. With Westbrook in the fold, the position gets muddy. Terance Mann has been starting and could hold onto that role. However, his playing time should lessen with Westbrook now in the fold, regardless if he starts or comes off the bench. Hyland might have difficulty finding his way onto the floor at this point. Westbrook likely won't have as significant of a role as he did as the primary sixth man for the Lakers, and Mann is set to take a hit, making both of them risky options in fantasy.
Patrick Beverley, Chicago Bulls
Beverley was another veteran that
The NBA trade deadline is not the final opportunity for contending teams to improve themselves. There is also the buyout market, which was active this season. Let's discuss where players landed and what impact it has on their fantasy outlook and some of their new teammates.
Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Clippers
Westbrook was the biggest name to reach the buyout market. His tumultuous tenure with the Lakers finally ended when he was traded to the Jazz. With the Jazz in the first season of a rebuild, they decided to buy out Westbrook rather than have him take minutes away from some of their young players. Westbrook then latched on with the Clippers, a star-studded team that aspires to make a deep playoff run.
The Clippers have made significant changes at point guard. They dealt away Reggie Jackson and John Wall at the trade deadline while acquiring Bones Hyland. With Westbrook in the fold, the position gets muddy. Terance Mann has been starting and could hold onto that role. However, his playing time should lessen with Westbrook now in the fold, regardless if he starts or comes off the bench. Hyland might have difficulty finding his way onto the floor at this point. Westbrook likely won't have as significant of a role as he did as the primary sixth man for the Lakers, and Mann is set to take a hit, making both of them risky options in fantasy.
Patrick Beverley, Chicago Bulls
Beverley was another veteran that the Lakers traded away at the deadline. He landed with the Magic in a deal that netted the Lakers Mo Bamba. Beverley was quickly bought out and rumored to have multiple suitors. He ended up signing with the Bulls, allowing him to play for his hometown team.
Beverley may have the best chance to be a starter of all the buyout candidates. Lonzo Ball (knee) will not return this season, and the trio of Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White and Goran Dragic has left a lot to be desired. Beverley's fiery demeanor could also help a Bulls team that has looked listless as they continue to fall down the Eastern Conference standings. If he doesn't start right away, he could land in the role in short order. He likely won't be a great fantasy option either way, playing alongside Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. Maybe the biggest impact here will be felt by Dosunmu, who has been borderline roster worthy as a starter. With the expectation that his minutes will decline, it's likely safe to drop him in most fantasy leagues.
Kevin Love, Miami Heat
Love's situation was a strange one. He was already on a contending team in the Cavaliers, who looked poised to be one of the more difficult teams on the Eastern Conference side of the playoff bracket. However, he had fallen out of the rotation, with Cedi Osman and Dean Wade serving as the primary backups in the frontcourt. With no minutes in sight, Love reportedly requested a buyout, which the Cavaliers agreed to.
Love now finds himself in an immensely better fantasy situation with the Heat. They have dealt with a variety of injuries and have been searching for a viable backup center for most of the season. Love should get playing time at both power forward and center, leaving him with the potential to play 20 to 25 minutes a game. Last season, he averaged 13.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.5 three-pointers over 23 minutes per game. He has proven that he can be productive in limited minutes, so for fantasy managers who have a bench spot to play with, taking a chance on Love (see what I did there?) could be worthwhile.
Reggie Jackson, Denver Nuggets
Jackson was excellent as the Clippers' starting point guard last season, averaging 16.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.2 three-pointers in 31 minutes per game. If there was a downside for fantasy, it's that he shot only 39.2 percent from the field. He quickly fell out of favor this season, with Mann and Wall jumping over him on the depth chart. He was eventually traded to the Hornets, who bought him out with LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier and Dennis Smith Jr. already in place.
Jackson landed with another contending team in the Nuggets, who badly needed some depth at point guard. Jamal Murray sat out all of last season while recovering from a torn ACL, and he dealt with some knee soreness that forced him to miss six straight games before the All-Star break. The Nuggets might play him fewer minutes and give him additional rest days down the stretch, leaving Jackson with added minutes. However, he likely won't consistently play enough when Murray is healthy to be worth rostering in most fantasy leagues.
Terrence Ross, Phoenix Suns
The Suns made the biggest trade deadline splash, bringing over Kevin Durant from the Nets. The problem was they lost some of their depth in that deal. To build some of it back up, they needed to be active in the buyout market. Enter Ross, who had agreed to part ways with the Magic.
In his first game as a member of the Suns, Ross logged 25 minutes off the bench. He came through with a valuable stat line, posting 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and one three-pointer. He might not receive as many shot attempts when Durant is healthy, but his three-point shooting prowess will likely make him one of the Suns' primary scorers off the bench. Ross is worth a look for fantasy managers in 14-team or deeper leagues who need three-pointers.
Justin Holiday, Dallas Mavericks
Holiday barely saw the floor for the Hawks this season, averaging 15 minutes over the 28 games that he played. He was traded to the Rockets, who want to give their young players more minutes. After being bought out, he latched out with the Mavericks, who made a big splash of their own by trading for Kyrie Irving. Holiday is a good shooter who has averaged at least 2.0 three-pointers in a season four times during his career, but his limited role off the bench doesn't make him someone to pursue in fantasy.
Danny Green, Cleveland Cavaliers
Green was also dealt to and bought out by the Rockets. He has missed most of the season while recovering from a torn ACL, appearing in just four games for the Grizzlies before the trade. He provides a young Cavaliers team with veteran leadership for the playoffs, and he can also help space the floor with his three-point shooting. However, don't expect him to play enough to be worth rostering in fantasy.
Dewayne Dedmon, Philadelphia 76ers
Initially serving as the Heat's primary backup at center behind Bam Adebayo, Dedmon eventually ended up behind Orlando Robinson on the depth chart. There was even a game when Udonis Haslem received minutes over Dedmon. The writing was on the wall, and Dedmon was eventually bought out. He has since landed with the 76ers, providing more insurance behind Joel Embiid. However, with Paul Reed and Montrezl Harrell on the roster, Dedmon should still struggle to find his way onto the floor.
