Metta World Peace won’t opt out of final season of Lakers deal
Metta World Peace has decided to stick with the Lakers. Now, will the Lakers stick with Metta World Peace?
According to a team spokesman and World Peace’s agent, Marc Cornstein, the veteran forward Tuesday said he intends not to opt out of the final season of his contract worth $7.7 million.
The Lakers still have their one-time amnesty to cut a player, a decision to be made from July 10 to July 16. According to the NBA’s 2011 collective bargaining agreement, an amnesty player still receives his salary but it falls off a team’s salary-cap and luxury-tax computations.
If the Lakers are able to keep free-agent center Dwight Howard at $20.5 million for next season while maintaining the same $100-million payroll they had last season, removing World Peace from the equation via amnesty could save the Lakers about $24 million in tax. The 33-year-old forward averaged 12.4 points per game last season.
The Lakers have limited options when it comes to replacing World Peace, should they let him go — but economics may push the team into a difficult decision.
This summer represents the Lakers’ last opportunity to use their amnesty provision; eligible players include Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Steve Blake and World Peace.
As written in his contract, the deadline for World Peace to opt out of his deal was 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.
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