While much of the focus in free agency is on the big names and superstar, extremely important role players also change addresses during the summer months and have huge impacts.
In this new era of NBA basketball, players who can stretch the floor and play defense are of the utmost importance which is why it isn’t much of a surprise that Indiana Pacers’ wing C.J. Miles is expected to decline his player option and become an unrestricted free agent according to Chris Haynes of ESPN:
Indiana Pacers swingman C.J. Miles will decline his player option for the 2017-18 season and become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, league sources tell ESPN.
In declining his player option Miles is passing up a salary of around $4.8 million dollars next season. He must officially let the Pacers know of his decision on by June 20.
Last season he averaged 10.7 points and three rebounds per game. Where he truly makes an impact is from behind the three-point line. He shot 41.3 percent from that distance last season. In a time where the three-point shot is becoming more important he will undoubtedly have plenty of teams looking to bring him in.
Whether or not he would come to the Lakers remains to be seen as, after 12 NBA seasons, Miles could very well be looking to join a true contender in hopes of making a deep playoff run which he has yet to experience. He has made the playoffs six times, getting out of the first round only once.
Miles could potentially be a player the Lakers could have interest in as a 3-and-D player who is accustomed to coming off the bench and be another veteran in the locker room. Magic Johnson has said the Lakers won’t be major players in free agency this summer, but role players like Miles could certainly be targeted.