The Lakers have officially amnestied Metta World Peace, according to ESPN. The move means the team is getting approximately $14 million in savings this season. Even with Kobe Bryant doing what he could do, tweeting that the team should keep Queensbridge around for one more run at a ring, MWP is now free to sign with other teams once he clears waivers. His $7.7 million salary will still be on L.A.’s books, but if he wants to return to New York, his rumored preference, the opportunity is there.
World Peace’s camp has already let the league know that if a team scoops him up off waivers, he may retire rather than start fresh, and the only two teams I’ve heard that interest him are the Knicks and Clippers.
[RELATED: Metta World Peace’s Weird Twitter Reaction To Amnesty News]
“It’s tough to say goodbye to a player such as Metta, who has been a significant part of our team the past four seasons. For anyone who’s had the opportunity to get to know him, it’s impossible not to love him,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a release. “He has made many contributions to this organization, both in his community work as well as in our games; perhaps no more so than in his clutch play in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals in helping to lead us over the Celtics in one of the greatest playoff wins in Lakers history.
“We thank Metta for all his contributions and wish him the best of luck in the future.”
The Lakers filled the gap on the wing by bringing in Los Angeles native Nick Young, a younger, more athletic and better long-range shooting player than World Peace (although you can argue his minuses outweigh the pluses).
Is this a good move?
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