The Los Angeles Lakers are cutting costs in the wake of Dwight Howard's departure to the Houston Rockets, and Metta World Peace is their cap casualty.
The Lakers axed their tweeting, defense-first forward in order to save $14.8 million in cap space, despite Kobe Bryant's plea on Twitter to keep World Peace, add some veterans and make a run.
With Howard gone and Kobe on the shelf with a torn Achilles tendon, the Lakers have moved into cost-reduction mode. While using their amnesty provision on Bryant would have provided more relief, he is a legend and the lone bankable star remaining on the roster.
World Peace's production has been declining since he helped L.A. win the NBA title in 2010. This year he averaged 12.4 points per game, the first time since 2010 that his scoring was in double-figures. He scored those points on 11 attempts a night, however, sacrificing efficiency for the gaudier total. His defense has slipped a bit as well; while he is still above average he is no longer the stopper who can be relied on to halt elite scorers in their tracks.
According to reports, two teams have already surfaced as being interested in bringing World Peace into the fold-the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks. The Clippers appear to be an odd fit; they already have Matt Barnes on the roster as well as Jared Dudley, and drafted an athletic swingman in Reggie Bullock out of UNC.
The Knicks, on the other hand, have several guards on their roster but precious few swingmen beyond Carmelo Anthony. World Peace is a native New Yorker to boot, who routinely plays streetball on the New York City playgrounds and starred at St. John's University back when he went by the name Ron Artest.
A friend of World Peace's, Jose Morales, said his buddy is interested in playing in big markets. Morales told ESPN that he'd be open to staying in Los Angeles and joining the Clippers, but would love to go to New York.
"If the Lakers amnesty him, he's going to have a point to prove that he can still be that player in New York."
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