By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
Milos Teodosic has used his player option for the 2018-19 season and according to Eurohoops sources the LA Clippers are expected to keep him in their roster for next season.
The Clippers have the option to cut him before the 14th of July and compensate him with $2.1 million, which is the guaranteed amount of his next season’s $6.3 salary. This scenario is not on the table any more.
One of the main reasons for this decision would have been the salary cap situation of the franchise and the possibility of the Clippers being burdened not only by the luxury tax but also by the repeater tax. This is not longer the case, after DeAndre Jordan’s decision to leave the team. According to cap specialist Bobby Marks even after the recent signing of Luc Mbah a Moute the Clippers have “$118 million in salary, $5.7 million below the tax and are also $11.8 million below the hard cap”.
And that changed everything for Milos. With Teodosic the Clippers had a 29-16 record in 45 games. Without him they registered just 13 wins in 37 games. And that’s why despite the fact that the Clippers have eight guards under contract, including Teodosic, he is more than valuable. The presence of extra guards also gives the Clippers security in case he gets injured again.
At this point, Teodosic is staying in the NBA and the return to Europe is not happening this summer.