Indiana Pacers Rumors: Former All-Star Opts Out Of Contract
Indiana Pacers rumors have David West opting out of his contract. West had played with the Pacers for the last four NBA seasons, but will now become a free agent. West had a player option worth $12.6 million for the 2015-16 NBA season, but decided that he would try to find more money on the open market. A report from ESPN.com on Wednesday (June 24) confirmed the move, though it might seem a bit odd.
West will turn 35 during the NBA offseason, suggesting he is on the downward slope of his All-Star NBA career. That makes free agency a very risky endeavor for him, whereas staying with the Pacers would have given him a guaranteed salary for at least one more season. Last year with the Pacers, West started 66 games, averaging 11.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. He was down to just 28.7 minutes a night as well.
This move by West could be because he doesn’t believe that the Indiana Pacers have enough talent to compete for an NBA title soon. He has already made more than $75 million during his NBA career, so maybe this is a move that will allow him to sign with a championship contender. The Pacers also need to be worried about the decision that Roy Hibbert has in front of him, as the All-Star center also has a player option for the 2015-16 NBA season.
As previously reported on the Inquisitr, the Indiana Pacers will select No. 11 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. It means that a good player is going to be joining the roster for the next NBA season. What is unclear, though, is who his teammates are going to be as the roster is fluctuating. Luis Scola, Chris Copeland, CJ Watson, Rodney Stuckey, Lavoy Allen, and Donald Sloan are all players that rumors have stated could be lost in free agency. That leaves a lot of gaps, especially when David West and possibly Roy Hibbert also decide to look for bigger paychecks.
Key players that will definitely be back for the Pacers are Paul George, George Hill, CJ Miles, and Ian Mahinmi. Fans will want to pay close attention to what the team does during the draft and heading into free agency. If the Indiana Pacers rumors about West are followed by Hibbert opting out, the team would be in direct competition with several franchises that need big men. That could lead to a few very stressful weeks during the NBA offseason.
[Image Source: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images]
