The NBA trade deadline always sends new talents to new teams, bettering their chances to make a playoff run, but over the years, the buyout market has become a vital source for some title contending teams with not much cap space to better their roster.
This year was no different as Blake Griffin, Gorgui Dieng, LaMarcus Aldridge and Andre Drummond were all bought out of their contracts and signed with new teams.
Griffin and Aldridge signed with the Nets, Gorgui Dieng signed with the Spurs and Drummond signed with the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. The Nets and the Lakers are two teams who could potentially matchup with one another in the NBA Finals this season and the San Antonio Spurs are looking to make it back to the playoffs after missing the playoffs for the first time since 1997 last season.
While all four players have agreed to minimal deals for the remainder of the season, they will all play huge roles for their respective teams down the stretch and come playoff time, each of these guys could end up being a major difference maker for their team’s chances of success.
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Combined, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge, Andre Drummond and Gorgui Dieng have 15 All-Star appearances, 11 All-NBA selections and each player was named to their All-Rookie team during their rookie seasons. They may all be veterans now and on the back-halves of their respective careers, but all four of these players will be fighting for a championship and for a chance to earn yet another big contract next offseason.
With that said, let’s take a look at all four signings and rank the best fits for the top buyout signings over the last couple of weeks in the NBA.