Sources: David West to be free agent
Despite suffering a season-ending knee injury in March, New Orleans Hornets power forward David West is expected to opt out of the final season of his contract this week and become a free agent, according to sources close to the situation.
West has a June 30 deadline in his contract to notify the Hornets whether he will invoke next season's $7.5 million salary or opt for free agency, but sources say that the Hornets are already bracing for West to make his opt-out decision official before Thursday's buzzer.
The Hornets have anticipated all along that West would become a free agent, even though the former All-Star was forced to undergo surgery in April to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee suffered March 24. The reason: West still figures to be one of the two or three most coveted players on the open market in spite of the injury after years of consistent production and averages of 18.9 points and 7.6 rebounds in 70 games last season.
The Hornets, sources said, would still love to sign West to an extension before Thursday's deadline. But it's believed that West -- even in a financial landscape forecasted to be more restrictive starting next season and even factoring in his injury -- will eventually earn more in free agency than he could in an extension that would have to be calculated with next season's $7.5 million salary as a starting point.
Free agency will be delayed if the NBA, as expected, imposes a lockout July 1. But sources say only an unforeseen rehabilitation setback in the next 72 hours would change West's plans.
The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported on Friday that West has been rehabbing twice daily and started on that schedule even before New York orthopedist Dr. David Altchek reconstructed the torn ligament. Altchek re-examined West's knee in New York two weeks ago and proclaimed him ahead of schedule in a rehabilitation period that initially was expected to last six to eight months.
West told the newspaper in a story published Friday: "I just want to make sure that whatever it is I do, I want to make sure it's the best thought-out decision. I'm not 100 percent clear yet. What I will say is I feel good. I feel confident in my rehab and my knee. And I'll keep looking at it. I'm not worried about my knee.
"Whatever decision it is, and to me it's probably a bigger deal to other people than it is to me, it's just something I'm waiting to do," West continued. "I wanted to finish this week in particularly because this is a good point in my rehab. After this rehab (session Friday), I'll have a good long conversation with my agent (Octagon's Lance Young) and go from there."
Hornets general manager Dell Demps told the Times-Picayune last week: "Whether he opts in or opts out, our goal is to keep David West here. We said it from Day 1: We want David West to retire a Hornet. He's been great to us on and off the court. We're hoping his recovery continues on pace as it is right now. He's right on schedule to come back next year and play.
"We're hoping for a speedy recovery. Our goal is to keep him. There's room for both (West and free-agent power forward Carl Landry). Our goal is to keep that core together. We're not changing off that plan."
