Webber just the latest player to get contract buyout

	Former 76ers forward Chris Webber is part of the ever-growing All-Buyout team. AP
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The most amazing thing about Chris Webber's buyout with the Sixers isn't that he will get paid roughly $25 million NOT to play for Philadelphia the next two seasons.

It's that Webber is far from alone in getting such a windfall.

Jalen Rose. Alonzo Mourning. Dikembe Mutombo. Shandon Anderson. Eddie Robinson.

Those are just a handful of the players who have taken lucrative buyouts in recent years. Last week there was talk of a buyout for Knicks guard Steve Francis, who has $49.3 remaining on his contract (including this season), though New York boss Isiah Thomas denies it. In all of the cases except for Robinson, the player who was bought out went on to sign with another team and collect a separate paycheck.

"It's in vogue," one Eastern Conference general manager grumbled. "If you've got a guy who can't play or refuses to play, you just buy him out."

While it might seem crazy for  team to appease a disgruntled player with a buyout, there are often good reasons for it. In some cases it pays to rid the locker room of a malcontent. More often it's a case of teams trying to gain luxury tax relief.

In Webber's case, for example, the Sixers were at roughly $67 million in payroll as of last week, according to an East GM. By shedding C-Webb's salary, even by a few million, they would be able to get under the luxury tax threshold of $65 million. Since teams over the luxury tax have to pay a dollar-for-dollar penalty, Philadelphia could potentially save some $4 million this season.

In other words, the Sixers still lose money. But they don't lose as much as it might appear at first glance. Plus, they get rid of an unhappy player and open a roster spot for somebody who might be a better fit.

Bucks refuse to quit

The Bucks' acquisition of Earl Boykins from Denver is a signal the front office hasn't given up despite the loss of four starters to injury. Milwaukee recently lost Michael Redd (knee) and Mo Williams (shoulder), leaving its backcourt woefully thin. The Bucks already had lost swingman Bobby Simmons for the season with knee and ankle problems. Plus, a team source says Charlie Villanueva's shoulder problems could be worse than feared and that the 6-foot-11 forward might be out much longer than the initial estimates of one more week. Boykins at least can help the Bucks pick up the scoring slack.

GM Larry Harris was limited in what he could do because Milwaukee has loads of cap room available this summer. Thus, he didn't want to take on any long contracts unless the player acquired was well worth it. Boykins gives them at least a little scoring help, and he's got only one more year left after this one at a reasonable $3 million (with a player option to terminate) so Milwaukee should maintain its flexibility.

Meanwhile, the Bucks' injury woes could open the door for another team to crack the East playoff field. Assuming the Nets win the Atlantic Division, a team such as the Raptors and Knicks might have lost out to a Milwaukee team that had been playing pretty well of late. Now those teams would seem to have a better chance to catch the Bucks and make the playoffs.

Penny comeback on hold

It looks as if Penny Hardaway will have to wait a bit longer for his comeback. The four-time All-Star, who has sat out most of the past two years with knee problems, was hoping to get a 10-day contract offer with Seattle. But the Sonics opted instead to go for more size, signing former DePaul star Andre Brown. Hardaway, who has been working out in Houston with former NBA star and coach John Lucas, says he feels as healthy as he has in five years.

"The explosion, the first step is all back. I'm able to finish at the rim," Hardaway recently told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "It's something I lost but now I feel like I have the athletic ability again."

The Lakers reportedly have expressed an interest and would seem like a decent fit given Phil Jackson's preference for big guards.

Steve Nash probably loved it

Suns swingman Jalen Rose apparently wasn't impressed with the fistic abilities of the Knicks and Nuggets in their brawl last month. Days after the melee, Rose and the Suns got stuck in Denver overnight because of a snowstorm. Forced to eat at the team hotel, they encountered members of the NHL's Calgary Flames who were also staying there before a game with the Avalanche. According to a member of the Suns' front office, Rose greeted the Flames by apologizing for the way NBA players fight, cracking up members of both teams.