Milos Teodosic Exercises Player Option for 2018-2019 Season

Today was the deadline for Milos Teodosic to opt in to his player option for the 2018-2019 season, and he has done so, per Shams Charania of Yahoo and several others. Milos’ option is for $6.3 million, though if the Clippers waive him before July 15, they will only pay him $2.1 million.

The Clippers are in an interesting situation with Milos. He was an effective player for the team last year when healthy, displaying knock-down three-point shooting ability in his first year in the NBA, and igniting the Clippers’ offense with his contagious passing and ball movement. However, Milos is 31, and the team has around 10 guards in and around the roster, many of whom are younger and cheaper than him, And while Milos was a solid player last season, he played in a mere 45 games for the Clippers: they don’t know if he can make it through a full NBA season. All that context makes the report last week that the Clippers aren’t likely to keep him sound plausible. He’s good, but he’s older, injury-prone, and plays a very crowded position.

Over the next two weeks, therefore, expect the Clippers to shop Milos, hard. There are teams out there who could use a sweet-shooting and passing backup point guard or stop-gap starter, and they won’t have to pay a premium to obtain Teo. If the Clippers can’t find a new home for him by that July 15 deadline, however, he probably will be waived. Eating $2.1 million isn’t bad, and the Clippers desperately need to clear room at the guard positions to make way for new draftees Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jerome Robinson.

In addition to shopping Milos, prepare for rumors to swirl around Austin Rivers and Pat Beverley as well. It seems like the Clippers are in for a tumultuous summer, and Milos opting in was one of the last shoes to drop. Now, all that’s left is the wait for DeAndre Jordan’s decision. Stay tuned.