Buyout options will also depend on the structure of the contracts. If a player had either front loaded money or signing bonus money, there isn't much cap savings that you can get to shift those savings (after you replace the roster spot with a $900K player), to someone else.
For example, Backes, he was due a $1 mill SB and $3 mill in salary, meaning he was paid $2 mill more so far over his cap hit. A June buyout, could mean that the Ducks would take a $2 mill cap hit next season for the extra that he was already paid, plus the $1 mill SB, plus 1/3 of the remaining salary, so another $1 mill, leaving $4 mill in dead cap, thus $2 mill in cap savings, but the salary for a replacement player is say $900K, so only saving $1.1 mill give or take to shift to another player.
Now if Backes was evenly paid, that would mean a $2 mill dead space, plus $900K to replace him. So, you then have $3.1 mill to slide to another player. That's an extra $2 mill. Big difference. Thus the phrase, buyout proof contract.
Buyouts work best if it is on players who have cap hit equal to salary or back loaded contracts.
