EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) – The Los Angeles Lakers and Vlade Divac have agreed to postpone a decision on the veteran center’s contract status until just before the start of training camp.
The Lakers have the option of picking up a one-year, $5.4 million contract option or buying Divac out for $2 million. The decision was originally due Friday, but the parties agreed to postpone it until Sept. 30.
The 37-year-old Divac, who signed with the Lakers last summer, underwent back surgery in January and played in only 15 games last season.
, averaging 2.3 points and 2.1 rebounds. He averaged 11.9 points and 8.3 rebounds in 15 previous NBA seasons – six with the Lakers, two with Charlotte, and seven with Sacramento.
Divac has said he will retire if he doesn’t return to the Lakers. The postponement enables the team to better evaluate the condition of Divac’s back, and get a better sense if first-round draft pick Andrew Bynum will be able to make a contribution next season.
AP-ES-07-01-05 1456EDT
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