Top buyout candidates after the NBA trade deadline

Chandler Parsons

Chandler Parsons is a seven-year small forward for the Grizzlies. The 30-year-old stands 6’10” and carries a $24.1M salary this year. Unlike others on this list, Parsons is on the books for 2019-2020. He is slated to make $25.1M. That big-ticket makes Parsons very difficult to trade. It is more likely that he negotiates a buyout.

Parsons and the Grizzlies came to an understanding in late December that he would not play any more games for the team. He has been hampered by injuries, which have limited him to only three games this season. Health woes have been an unfortunate reality for Parsons over the last three seasons. In 2017 and 2018 he played in only 34 and 36 games respectively.

If the Raptors get the opportunity to sign Parsons, they would need to ensure that he is not just healthy, but also ready to ball at a level closer to his career averages. For his career, Parsons is shooting 13 points on a 46.6% field goal rate. He also has 2.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game. In a very small sample size this season, his game averages were 5.7 points, 0.7 assists, and 1.3 rebounds.

Parsons declared himself healthy and ready to play back in December. He wants to return to work, which means that he may be extra motivated to perform. Wherever he goes, whether it is Toronto or elsewhere, he has a lot to prove.