Brandon Bass of the Los Angeles Lakers has declared himself a free agent this summer, making use of the player option that came with his two-year contract with the franchise.
Broderick Turner of the LA Times was the first to break the news about the decision of Bass to opt out of his LA contract.
"Lakers forward Brandon Bass will excessive his option and will become a free agent, per his reps. Bass was due to make $3.1 [million next season]," Turner said.
Bass signed with the Lakers in a two-year deal for $6.1 million, which Lakers Nation believes is too little a market value for such massive talent like Bass.
The move does not come as a surprise for fans as there was already chitchat about this possible move. A couple of months back, there were already speculations about Bass turning down his second year with the Lakers.
"Lakers [forward] Brandon Bass to decline 2016-17 player option, become unrestricted free agent this summer," NBA reporter Chris Haynes tweeted back in April.
Despite his decision to become a free agent this summer, Bass is no way planning to part ways with the Lakers for good. "Bass hopes to return to the Lakers and hopes the team wants him," Turner tweeted.
NBA trade rumors have yet to suggest a possible landing spot for Bass, but his move out of his Lakers contract shows he is set out to make more than the $3.1 million he was supposed to get next season with the purple and gold.
Lakers Nation believes that it will be remiss for LA not to get Bass back after his free agency, seeing that he is willing to find his way back home.
The publication believes that Bass effortlessly fits with the system that coach Luke Walton seeks to implement on the Lakers.
For now though, next season will see Bass in a different uniform. It is expected that a lot of teams will be very interested in pursuing the veteran.
