With the NBA trade deadline officially in the rearview mirror, the only way contenders can add to their rosters now is through the buyout market. Last year saw a mixed bag in terms of teams seeing returns from their investments.
While Jeff Teague carved out a minor role for himself in Milwaukee’s championship rotation, other signings such as Brooklyn adding Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge fell flat. The 2022 season is no different, as there’ll inevitably be several players who will get bought out and effectively become “in season free agents” over the coming weeks.
One such player, Goran Dragic, is expected to garner interest from multiple clubs in the midst of a postseason push. Dragic was traded to the Spurs at the trade deadline in a deal that saw Thaddeus Young head north to Toronto.
It’s now widely expected that the 35 year old will begin negotiating a contract buyout with San Antonio as early as this week. Dragic suited up for only 5 games with the Raptors this season before he and the club agreed it would be best for both parties for him to workout by himself in South Beach away from the Raps.
The Slovenian national team player was part of the Kyle Lowry sign and trade deal that saw Lowry get flipped to the Heat in exchange for Precious Achiuwa and Dragic. Any team that signs the former Miami guard will have to be confident that he’s remained in peak physical condition while working out on his own, as his NBA action this year has been limited at best.
The Lakers, Warriors, Nets, Heat, Bucks, Clippers and Bulls have all checked in on Dragic recently, with Golden State and the Lakers showing the most interest in his services thus far. The soon to be free agent was a key part of Miami’s 2020 run to the NBA finals where he averaged 19.1pts/4.4ast/4.1reb per game in the postseason.
The 2014 Most Improved Player winner has a decorated international career, however is still chasing his first NBA championship since breaking into the league in 2008. While fit will inevitably be part of his decision, the team that gives him the best chance to earn a ring will likely be the determining factor.
The Clippers are an interesting choice, however their window to compete hinges entirely on Paul George and Kawhi Leonard’s health, making them a risky proposition at best. The Bulls are a deep team where he may see a glut of minutes initially. However, how he would factor into their rotation once Caruso and Ball return to full health remains to be seen.
Milwaukee seems like a poor fit, as the defending champs would likely be better served finding some shooting on the wings as opposed to a luxury signing like Dragic to backup Holiday. Miami is an intriguing destination in the sense that Dragic would probably like to return there personally, but there may no longer be room for him with Lowry, Herro, and Robinson already at guard, and Victor Oladipo reportedly nearing a return as well.
Which leaves Golden State, the Lakers, and the Nets. The Warriors would likely give Dragic his best shot at a title of the bunch, but that would also mean that the former NBA All-Star would have to be comfortable playing second fiddle to Steph/Klay in the backcourt. In a vacuum the Lakers would make the most sense as they lack a true point guard at the moment. That being said, the reality of the situation is that both LeBron and Westbrook are such ball dominant players, that there might be some grumblings in the locker room if either of them were asked to take on less of a role (even if it would actually make the team better).
Meanwhile the Nets are currently clinging onto the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference for dear life. Losers of their last 11 in a row, they’re a team that’s currently in freefall, with more questions than answers. How will Ben Simmons fit into this team after such a lengthy layoff? Is Kyrie going to be a “road only” option for the team for the whole season or will vaccine mandates change at some point? When can KD realistically return from injury? Again, on paper this is a title contending team when healthy, but would you really be willing to roll the dice on them if you had your pick of the litter when it came to joining another team?
Then there’s also a true dark horse candidate like the Dallas Mavericks. Currently sitting 5th in the West, Dragic and fellow Slovenian Luka Doncic go way back and have openly discussed playing together at some point in their careers. Roster wise it doesn’t make a ton of sense with Luka, Jalen Brunson, and the recently acquired Spencer Dinwiddie currently battling for minutes at the guard spots, but stranger things have happened in the association.
Needless to say, once Dragic and the Spurs complete the buyout process, the former EuroBasket MVP won’t be short on options to choose from.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner