It can be hard to remember that first, the NBA is a business above anything else. Sometimes that business side can force players out of teams no matter how hard others protest. Metta World Peace learned that lesson the hard way. Just weeks after announcing that he would exercise his player option and return to the Lakers, the team used the amnesty provision and wiped MWP off the books. Several players including Kobe Bryant and head coach Mike D'Antoni are not thrilled about it.
"Obviously it's a byproduct of the CBA," D'Antoni said. "As a person and a player, I couldn't find anyone better. He's great. I enjoyed coaching him. I hope he finds something great. He deserves it. It's not the coaches. It's management. They have to manage this crap."
Bryant echoed those statements saying it was a tough day knowing MWP was out. The Lakers head coach stressed the move was purely financial and nothing more. The Lakers were in need of cutting their salary costs and MWP was the first to fall to victim. Now left to weigh all of his options, MWP is thinking the NBA might not even be in the cards for him anymore.
"I don't really want to play for anybody," MWP said the media at the Lakers' practice facility. "I don't want to go anywhere. I want to go to China, or coach or play arena football."
MWP is officially on the market and can be claimed off waivers, that is if the forward does not decide to retire first. Set to become an unrestricted free agent once having cleared waivers, MWP has his eyes on only two teams. Ideally, MWP wants to stay in Los Angeles and hopes the Clippers take a chance on him, or he will look towards the New York Knicks as an option.
"I had a chance to play in New York in the past," MWP said. "I wanted to play in New York when I was in my prime and I was young, fierce, lock-down defender. Madison Square Garden, that would have been sick. But right now, China is way more adventurous for me."
MWP is also battling a sore knee that has slowed him down significantly. He had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in March and is still sore. He does not think his knee would hurt his chances of playing in China since it is a shorter season.
MWP leaves the Lakers with no hard feelings. He understands the business side of of everything and plans to continue to remain close to ownership. The 14-year veteran is simply ready for the next adventure.
