Los Angeles Clippers guard and head coach Doc Rivers’ son Austin Rivers has decided not to exercise his player contract, and will become a free agent, per ESPN’s Marc J. Spears:
Clippers guard Austin Rivers has decided not to exercise his player option for next season & will test free agency this summer. @ASM_SPORTS
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) June 1, 2016
Had Rivers picked up his player option, he would have been owed $3.3 million for next season. However, with the rising cap, a mid-to-low level player like Rivers can likely sign a bigger deal, whether with the Clippers or elsewhere.
Rivers attended Duke University, where he played one season before declaring for the NBA draft. In the Draft, he was selected 10 overall by the New Orleans Hornets(now Pelicans). He played three seasons in New Orleans before being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.
This season –his second with the Clippers– Rivers played 21.9 minutes per game, averaging 8.9 points(career-high) to go with 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. He shot a career-best 43.8% from the field, as well as 33.5% from three-point range, and 68.1% from the free throw line.
