Metta World Peace could join Knicks, Clippers if amnestied by Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have yet to decide if they will use the amnesty provision on forward Metta World Peace.

Jul 9, 2013, 8:02 PM UTC

Victor Decolongon

If the Los Angeles Lakers decide to amnesty Metta World Peace for the $30 million in savings from his salary and luxury tax fees, the 33-year-old forward may already know where he'd like to sign. World Peace's camp told Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York that the forward would be interested in joining the New York Knicks.

Meanwhile, another option could emerge on the other side of L.A.

World Peace's friend, Jose Morales, told ESPN New York that the Lakers forward would consider either retirement or moving to the other Staples Center locker room to join the Clippers. From the looks of it, World Peace wants to join a contender in a big market.

But most of all, he wants to remain with the Lakers to give next season a go without center Dwight Howard.

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Kobe Bryant tweeted Monday that he would keep World Peace, but according to ESPN and other multiple reports, the Lakers are still deciding to waive World Peace. They cannot do so until Wednesday.

The Orange County Register’s Kevin Ding was first to report Los Angeles’ consideration of using the one-time amnesty provision on World Peace, but it soon became clear that the team was still weighing its options. World Peace’s $7.7 million salary would be off the books if the Lakers move forward with the decision -- with taxes involved, the savings would be monumental.

Considering Pau Gasol was the other likely amnesty option for the financially-constrained Lakers, World Peace's relatively average production of 12.4 points, 5.0 rebounds appears to be the better option, no matter his defensive influence.

Joining Tyson Chandler, Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks would make sense. World Peace could play alongside the shot-happy Anthony as a defensive presence and is a decent enough shooting threat to fit within the offense. Additionally, World Peace grew up in New York.