Worth the fuss?

Sam Cassell, Jamaal Magloire, Brent Barry... There's a lot of noise these days about players getting picked up by teams trying to make a deep playoff run this spring. It has become a trend in recent years. Veterans stuck in losing franchises get their contracts bought out and join playoff squads that may give them a shot at the ring (or at least at reviving their careers). How's that working out for those players and the clubs that sign them?

Not all that well.

Of the 24 players bought out of their contracts and subsequently signed by playoff teams between January 1 and the beginning of the playoffs the last five seasons, only two (Lindsey Hunter and Glenn Robinson) won the championship that year. Hunter averaged just 2.4 ppg for the Pistons in the 2004 playoffs following a trade that sent him from Detroit to Boston in February and a release that got him back in Motown later that month. Meanwhile, Robinson scored 50 points (on 35.6 percent shooting) in San Antonio's title run.

Hunter's and Robinson's meager statistical production is more the rule than the exception among this bunch. Only one of the 24 players researched averaged double figures in scoring in the postseason. That would be Tim Thomas, who excelled with the Suns after being released by the Bulls in March 2006 – and cashed in big with the Clippers that summer.

(No wonder they were waived in the first place) .

PLAYOFF STATS

2003 Playoffs

Tyrone Hill (Philadelphia) / 2.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 14.1 mpg

Bimbo Coles (Boston) / 0.0 ppg, 0.7 apg, 3.3 mpg

Chris Whitney (Orlando) / 3.1 ppg, 1.0 apg, 15.9 mpg

2004 Playoffs

Eddie Griffin (New Jersey) / DNP

Hubert Davis / New Jersey / DNP

Charlie Ward (San Antonio) / 2.2 ppg, 0.2 apg, 2.6 mpg

Scott Williams (Dallas) / 0.0 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 3.7 mpg

Vin Baker (New York) / 5.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 14.3 mpg

Michael Doleac (Denver) / 2.0 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 9.8 rpg

Lindsey Hunter (Detroit) / 2.4 ppg, 0.9 apg, 12.1 mpg

Brevin Knight (Milwaukee) / 4.2 ppg, 3.4 apg, 20.2 mpg

2005 Playoffs

Eddie House (Sacramento) / 3.0 ppg, 1.3 apg, 7.7 mpg

Qyntel Woods (Miami) / DNP

Alonzo Mourning (Miami) / 6.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.20 bpg, 16.9 mpg

Wesley Person (Denver) / 3.8 ppg, 37.5 3P% 13.5 mpg

Elden Campbell (Detroit) / 1.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 5.7 mpg

Glenn Robinson (San Antonio) / 3.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 8.7 mpg

Alan Henderson (Dallas) / 2.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 10.2 mpg

Dale Davis (Indiana) / 5.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 23.9 mpg

2006 Playoffs

Chucky Atkins (Memphis) / 9.8 ppg, 3.0 apg, 36.4 3P%, 25.5 mpg

Tony Delk (Detroit) / 3.0 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 8.6 mpg

Tim Thomas (Phoenix) / 15.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 44.4 3P%, 31.8 mpg

2007 Playoffs

Chris Webber (Detroit) / 9.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.5 apg, 25.2 mpg

Eddie Jones (Miami) / 3.3 ppg, 1.7 apg, 22.2 FG%, 22.0 mpg