The Los Angeles Lakers have one of the most bloated salaries in the league, and they'd certainly love to dump some of their worst contracts off. Which is why they'd probably love to see an amnesty clause come into play in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, since they could shed someone they don't really want anymore.
Chad Ford and Marc Stein of ESPN report on the type of players up for this. Although Ron Artest and Steve Blake are mentioned, Luke Walton is the likeliest candidate. But there could be potential problems.
The only apparent disclaimer is the possibility that the Lakers could double dip in terms of savings in the form of injury relief should Walton elect to retire, which would then make a subsequent amnesty divorce from the mercurial Metta hard to resist financially. One team insider said that Walton, though just 31, has indeed begun to contemplate retirement because of a debilitating back condition, with Walton himself telling ESPN.com's Andy Katz earlier this summer that he's seen multiple doctors who have advised him to stop playing. So stay tuned.
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