2023 NBA Buyout Market: Top Candidates to Watch After Trade Deadline

• The NBA buyout market is heating up with teams looking to find new players before the playoffs
• Playoff contenders are looking at the availability of Russell Westbrook, who is still a member of the Utah Jazz
• Veterans John Wall and Serge Ibaka are also options for NBA teams looking to improve their squad depth

The trade deadline may be done and dusted, but that doesn’t mean player transactions for the 2022-23 NBA season are now over.

Teams looking to make a playoff run can still bolster their respective lineups by dipping into the buyout market.

These players have been waived by their previous teams and are now free agents. For players still under contract, they must be waived by the end of the day on March 1 for them to retain their playoff eligibility.

Here are three players that teams should look at as they scour the buyout market.

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NHL

Russell Westbrook

He is still under contract with the Jazz, and it isn’t clear if he will seek a buyout from them. Westbrook will collect his entire $47 million salary this season if he stays with Utah, according to CBS Sports.

Once he does, teams will undoubtedly be lining up to sign him. Forget about his failed stint with the Lakers, the former MVP is still a force to be reckoned with on the hard court. He averaged 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists in 52 games played with Los Angeles this season.

John Wall

Wall got the shock of his life when he was traded back to the Houston Rockets before the deadline, the team he blasted in an interview this season. He got bought out last June, departing Houston with a huge chunk of his $47.4 million contract for the 2022-23 season.

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NBA

He then signed with the LA Clippers but was surprisingly shipped back to Houston in the Eric Gordon trade. Wall has since been officially waived by the Rockets and is now free to sign with any NBA team except the Clips.

He produced solid numbers for the Clippers while coming off the bench, racking up 18.4 points and 8.5 assists per 36 minutes. He shot 40% overall from the field and 30% from beyond the arc, according to NBA.com.

Serge Ibaka

Teams looking for a big man with championship experience may find Serge Ibaka an appealing option. The 33-year-old played 16 games for Milwaukee this season but has yet to appear in a contest since January 1.

Ibaka’s numbers this season aren’t impressive, averaging just 4.1 points and 2.8 rebounds. He still could provide significant depth to playoff-bound teams. The Miami Heat are reportedly interested in acquiring his services.

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NBA

Who won the trade deadline?

Sports Brief recently reported on the winners of the NBA trade deadline. The Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers made the list after completing blockbuster trades.

The Suns acquired superstar Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, while the Lakers shored up their rotation by adding D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Mo Bamba.

It will be interesting to see whether these two teams will add more players via the buyout market.