The trade deadline dust has settled, but the NBA never really stops churning. With just under a month left in the regular season, teams are fine-tuning rotations, integrating new faces, and, for a few, waving the white flag. The buyout market, while not as splashy as a deadline deal, still offers some intriguing pieces for contenders looking to bolster their bench.
**Veterans on the Move (or Not)**
Let's start with the buyout market, which saw a few minor ripples this past week. The biggest name to actually hit the wire and get picked up was undoubtedly Goran Dragic. After the Bulls shipped him to Detroit in a purely salary-dump move, the Pistons quickly waived the 39-year-old guard. It didn’t take long for the Miami Heat to snap him up, signing him to a pro-rated minimum deal on March 13th. Pat Riley loves his old soldiers, and Dragic, despite his age, brings a steady hand and championship experience to a Heat backcourt that’s been banged up this year. Kyle Lowry’s been in and out of the lineup with a nagging hamstring, and Tyler Herro just returned from an ankle sprain. Dragic won't be playing 30 minutes a night, but he can still run a second unit, hit an open three, and isn't afraid of the moment. He averaged 6.2 points and 2.8 assists in 18 minutes for Chicago this season.
Another veteran, Danilo Gallinari, cleared waivers after being bought out by the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs acquired him from Washington in the Jakob Poeltl trade, but he never suited up for them. Gallinari, who’s been rehabbing a torn ACL suffered in EuroBasket 2025, has reportedly drawn interest from a few playoff teams, including the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors. Both teams could use a stretch four off the bench, especially one with his shooting prowess. Before his injury, Gallinari was averaging 11.7 points on 40.8% shooting from deep for the Wizards. My gut says he lands in Boston; they’ve always had an affinity for him, and he’d fit seamlessly into their offensive system.
On the other side of the coin, Serge Ibaka, after being waived by the Milwaukee Bucks, has yet to find a new home. He’s 36 now, and the knees have seen better days. He only played 16 games for the Bucks this season, averaging 4.1 points and 2.8 rebounds. While he still offers some rim protection and a decent mid-range jumper, his mobility is a major question mark. Contenders are looking for guys who can genuinely contribute, not just fill a roster spot. Unless a team suffers a major frontcourt injury, it’s hard to see Ibaka getting significant minutes anywhere.
**Rotation Roulette and Injury Impact**
Injuries, as always, are dictating a lot of late-season moves. The Sacramento Kings, for instance, are in a dogfight for a play-in spot, and their recent waiver claim of veteran wing Josh Okogie is a direct response to Malik Monk's ankle sprain. Monk, who was having a career year averaging 15.6 points and 4.2 assists off the bench, is expected to miss at least two weeks. Okogie, waived by the Grizzlies to make room for a G-League call-up, provides defensive intensity and some much-needed athleticism on the wing. He’s not a shooter by any stretch (career 29.8% from three), but he’ll hustle and defend. He played 10 minutes in his Kings debut against the Mavericks on March 14th, grabbing 3 rebounds. That's the kind of gritty effort Mike Brown is looking for.
Real talk: the Lakers are once again a mess. Anthony Davis is back, which is good, but LeBron James is now dealing with what the team is calling "general soreness" in his knee and missed their last two games. They also just waived reserve guard Gabe Vincent, a move that surprised absolutely no one. Vincent, signed to a three-year, $33 million deal last summer, played just 11 games for Los Angeles, averaging 5.4 points. He never fit in, and his injury issues prevented any real contribution. This opens up a roster spot, and the Lakers are reportedly looking at some G-League options or perhaps another veteran point guard. They need stability, and they need it yesterday. Austin Reaves has been forced into primary ball-handling duties too often, which isn't his strength.
Here's the thing: while contenders are looking for marginal upgrades, the bottom-feeders are already looking to next year. The Charlotte Hornets, firmly entrenched in the lottery, have started giving extended minutes to their younger players. Nick Smith Jr., the rookie guard, scored a career-high 22 points against the Blazers on March 13th, hitting four threes. Mark Williams, their second-year center, had 14 points and 11 rebounds against the Pistons on March 11th. These aren’t moves to win now; these are moves to evaluate talent for the future. It's smart, honestly. No point in running out 30-year-old journeymen when you can see what your draft picks can do.
**My Bold Prediction:** The Philadelphia 76ers, sensing Joel Embiid isn't quite 100% and their championship window is closing faster than anticipated, will make a desperation move before the end of the month. They’ll trade Tobias Harris and two future first-round picks to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso and Andre Drummond. It’s a long shot, but Daryl Morey loves a splash, and they need defense and rebounding.