Kenyon Martin

[...] Andre Miller’s contract is expiring, though. As such, that may have been the more ideal rental. The aged Miller is slower than ever, rather submarines a transition team, and still occasionally thinks he can shoot teams back into games, yet he also sets up teammates as well as almost anybody. More importantly, he is available; a starting caliber player coming off the bench, an aged veteran on a young team in the midst of a power rebuild. With a contract almost identical to that of Barbosa, the commitment need be no longer than three months, nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain.

Perhaps the cost was to be more prohibitive, a first round pick instead of the second that Toronto got, and the Pacers deemed that unnecessary for a player they could just sign this summer anyway. Perhaps the Nuggets had a better offer, or no offers at all. Perhaps this deal is really about a hidden, deep-seated desire to acquire Anthony Carter. Or perhaps Indiana flat didn’t want Miller as much as I hoped they would.

Kenyon Martin — The more high profile Chinese expat was also released last month, without an injury as an excuse. His glory days are behind him, but Martin can still contribute to both ends of an NBA floor, which makes him a rarity on this list. However, as a condition of his Chinese buyout, Martin must wait until the CBA season ends before he’s allowed to return to the NBA. So he may be another month.