Metta World Peace Seeking a Contract Extension from the Lakers


In what would be an inexplicable, yet very Metta-esque career move, World Peace says he may shred his current deal with the Lakers and become an unrestricted free agent this summer. MWP seems to think this would help him stick around Los Angeles a while longer, through a contract extension. Per NBA.com: “World Peace has a player option for 2013-14, the final year of his contract, at $7.7 million. He said his agent, Marc Cornstein, will approach the Lakers about an extension, but that will be a very short conversation unless the 33-year-old small forward is willing to take a severe pay cut. And it may be short no matter what. If World Peace does not terminate the deal, he immediately becomes a candidate to be cut under the amnesty provision. If he does terminate, likely (one would hope) after conversations with team officials to gauge the chances of getting more years at a lot less money annually, it is nearly impossible to imagine the Lakers committing more than two seasons on a new deal to maintain the possible cap room in the summer of 2014. The choice for World Peace could be to risk free agency in what figures to be a cold market in 2013 or keep the final season of the contract in place at the $7.7 million and possibly have his Lakers career end before he wants. He could also stay in the deal and be traded as an expiring contract to an undesirable destination. ‘I think my agent is trying to see if he can get an extension to stay here in L.A.,’ World Peace told NBA.com. ‘I’m really excited about the possibilities of staying here in L.A.'”