With the NBA postseason coming to an end, players must decide on whether or not they intend to exercise or decline their player options. Some of the marque players with options are LeBron James, DeMar DeRozan, Dwight Howard, Chandler Parsons and Pau Gasol. By exercising a Player Option players are guaranteed that salary for the 2016-2017 season, while declining a Player Option insures that player will become an Unrestricted Free Agent allowing them to negotiate on July 1st.


Point Guards
Player Team Option 2016 Cap Deadline Thoughts
Deron Williams DAL Player $5,621,026

June 22

OPTED OUT

Opt out and seek multi-year deal with Dallas or another team
Jeremy Lin CHA Player $2,235,255

June 22

OPTED OUT

Opt out but will seek to remain with Charlotte
Mo Williams CLE Player $2,194,500 June 13OPTING IN Has stated he doesn't want to retire; opting in would guarantee him a 2016-2017 salary
Shane Larkin BKN Player $1,500,000 June 29OPTED OUT He'll opt-out and await for Brooklyn to part ways with Jarrett Jack, aligning him for starting PG money.
 
Shooting Guards
Player Team Option 2016 Cap Deadline Thoughts
DeMar DeRozan TOR Player $10,150,000 June 15OPTED OUT Opt out and Toronto will most likely offer him a max contract
Arron Afflalo NYK Player $8,000,000 June 22OPTED OUT Opt out and seek his market value with other teams around the league
J.R. Smith CLE Player $5,375,000 June 16OPTED OUT Opt out and re-sign with Cleveland at a larger salary. His 3-point ability during the regular season and throughout the playoffs has been an asset to the Cavaliers.
Austin Rivers LAC Player $3,344,106 June 22OPTED OUT While staying in LA seems likely, don't be surprised if a teams in need of younger bench depth, like San Antonio don't show interest.
Manu Ginobili SAS Player $2,940,630

June 22

OPTED OUT

Retirement/Opt out
Wayne Ellington BKN Player $1,567,500 June 29OPTED OUT Opt out and seek more than the minimum salary
Wesley Johnson LAC Player $1,227,286 June 22OPTED OUT Johnson will opt-out and almost certainly return to the Clippers for the 2016-17 season.
James Anderson SAC Player $1,139,123 June 21OPTED OUT His opt-out is clearly for financial gain, as a soaring salary cap should benefit all playerseven if just a bit here.
Seth Curry SAC Player $1,015,696 June 21OPTED OUT Curry should double his $1M option by opting out and negotiating a salary well above the $1.2M qualifying offer.
 
Small Forwards
Player Team Option 2016 Cap Deadline Thoughts
LeBron James CLE Player $24,004,173 June 29OPTED OUT Will opt out and will sign a 2 year with a Player option (1+1) contract with Cleveland
Chandler Parsons DAL Player $16,023,000

June 22

OPTED OUT

Opt in and then see what kind of market value he will foster once the cap is at $107M.
Caron Butler SAC Player $1,551,659 June 22OPTED OUT Opt out and seek more than the minimum salary
Alonzo Gee NOP Player $1,379,400 June 21OPTED OUT Possibility of opting in based on injury sustained at the end of the season
Quincy Acy SAC Player $1,050,961 June 1OPTED OUT With Sacramento unlikely to land a max-type free agent, Acy might cash in big by re-signing this offseason.
Lance Stephenson MEM Club $9,405,000 June 29OPTED DECLINED Stephenson was geling nicely with the previous coach/system, but a new regime may mean free agency.
 
Power Forward
Player Team Option 2016 Cap Deadline Thoughts
Dirk Nowitzki DAL Player $8,692,184

June 22OPTED OUT

Opt out and will mostlikely re-sign with Dallas for 1 or 2 more years
Pau Gasol CHI Player $7,769,520 June 27OPTED OUT Opt out and seek a multi-year contract with a team other than Chicago
Tim Duncan SAS Player $6,393,750 June 29OPTING IN Retirement/Opt out
Derrick Williams NYK Player $4,598,000 June 22OPTED OUT Having averaged 9.3 pts, .94 ast, and 3.7 reb in 2015 he should opt in with the Knicks
Brandon Bass LAL Player $3,135,000 June 21OPTED OUT Bass' flexibility and experience should land him a contract averaging double the $3.1M option he's turning down.
Darrell Arthur DEN Player $2,940,630 June 22OPTED OUT Opt out and re-sign with Devener on a multi-year contract
David West SAS Player $1,551,659 June 22OPTED OUT Opt in to remain with the Spurs who potentially could be without Duncan and Ginobili or opt out and seek a slight increase, possibly through an exception with another contending team
Thomas Robinson BKN Player $1,050,961 June 15OPTED OUT He's likely headed to free agency where some of the bigger teams may have interest. Robinson has shown flashes of star power as a point guard early on.
 
Centers
Player Team Option 2016 Cap Deadline Thoughts
Dwight Howard HOU Player $23,282,457

June 29

OPTED OUT

Will opt out and will seek a max contract with a team other than Houston.
Cole Aldrich LAC Player $1,227,286 June 22OPTED OUT Simple game of a player looking for more minutes and a few extra dollars. He'll catch on somewhere.
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