This free agent thing is really catching on. News broke this morning that LeBron James is officially jumping off the Miami Heat ship, and now Lakers player Nick Young is making the same move.
Young has opted out of the final year of his contract.
From ESPN.com:
Nick Young has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he will not pick up his player option and will become a free agent, his agent Mark Bartelstein told ESPN.com.
Young, 29, had a career-year last season, averaging a team-high 17.9 points for a Lakers team that finished 27-55.
The 6-foot-6 Young is a Los Angeles native who played at USC. He had until Wednesday’s June 25th deadline to make a decision on his deal.
“I always wanted to be a Laker and it will be a dream come true to still be here, but it’s crazy,” the seven-year veteran said in April. “You never know what happens. Last year they had a whole different team. It’s obvious they’re going to make some changes.”
The Lakers have just three players under contract for next season — Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Robert Sacre — and have a team option to retain point guard Kendall Marshall for $915,243.
The 2013-2014 season has been a period of reconstruction for the Lakers, which included head coach Mike D’Antoni stepping down last month. Young’s departure isn’t a surprise either, as his agent pointed out. “It’s all part of the business and free agency’s a part of it,” Bartelstein said.
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