One of the many upsides of the Celtics’ trade deadline was that they gained the freedom to sign any player on the buyout market by getting under the first apron. Before that, they were limited to only signing players who made the midlevel exception (roughly $14.1 million) or less, before being bought out.
The buyout market isn’t exactly ripe with star talent most years, and more often than not, it doesn’t lead to any substantial impact in the grand scheme of things. But still, there have been a few exceptions, and it’s still a useful tool to have at your disposal for roster-building.
Khris Middleton has intrigue for contending teams
We’ve seen and covered multiple options who have become available, like Lonzo Ball, Cole Anthony, and Tyus Jones, but none of those guys are moving the needle for Boston. One name that was rumored to be a possible candidate, and would have made some sense on the Celtics, was Khris Middleton, the former 3x All-Star and champion with the Bucks.
Injuries and age have caught up to Middleton, and the 34-year-old was traded to the Wizards last season, then dumped to the Mavericks in the Anthony Davis trade this season. But in a limited role, he can still be effective, as he’s proven in just 7 games with Dallas, scoring 13.9 points and pulling down 4.3 rebounds per game.
He’s a big wing who can knock down threes, grab some boards, and hold his own on defense. Given his playoff experience and longtime reputation as a great teammate and leader, there was speculation that he’d be a buyout candidate with appeal to contenders, and the Mavericks clearly looking to rebuild around rookie phenom Cooper Flagg.
Middleton choosing to finish season with Mavericks
But apparently, that’s not going to happen as Marc Stein reported on Saturday that Middleton will stay with the Mavs and finish out the season in Dallas, rather than negotiating a buyout and becoming a free agent, as the deadline for players to be waived and play in the playoffs for another team is Sunday, March 1st.
There was rumored interest from the Nuggets and other contenders, but according to Stein, he has settled quickly in Dallas and would rather play out his expiring contract, rather than join a contender for the stretch run, which would mean relocating to a fourth team in just over 12 months.
Realistically, the Celtics probably weren’t going to win the “Middleton sweepstakes” anyway, and may not have even opted to get involved. But this further indicates how weak the buyout market is this season, and how Celtics fans should not be counting on any big-name signing to come in and make a difference down the stretch.