Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic is expected to opt out of his contract after the season and become an unrestricted free agent. If that happens, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets reportedly will be the most aggressive suitors for the 28-year-old point guard.
Dragic said earlier in the summer he would opt out of his contract and re-sign with Phoenix, but according to Sporting News' Sean Deveney, that is no longer the case.
Per Deveney:
"While that might have been the idea at that time, that's not the case now, as Dragic will have an 'open' free agency, league sources told Sporting News. When Dragic opts out and becomes a free agent next July, he will be a sought-after commodity, and while Phoenix would get the first hearing, Dragic will have options.
"Among those options, according to sources, would be Houston - the team Dragic left in order to sign with Phoenix in 2012. ... The Lakers also figure to be a potential landing spot for Dragic, a source said - though, to be clear, the Lakers have only about $36 million committed next season with needs at just about every position, and thus are expected to pursue multiple big-name free agents."
Dragic's stance on re-signing with Phoenix could have changed when the Suns gave fellow point guard Eric Bledsoe a five-year extension in October, seemingly limiting the amount of money Phoenix would now be able to give Dragic. He also indicated one of the problems with the 6-5 Suns is the plethora of 1-guards on the roster.
"Because there's only one ball and we're all point guards," Dragic said, via AZCentral.com. "That's an easy answer. It's hard. That' sacrifice. If (Isaiah Thomas is) playing well, he's going to stay in. Me and Eric (Bledsoe), it depends who is playing better and who is going to be on the court. The other guy is going to be on the bench. It's the way it is. We need to embrace that."
As for the Lakers, Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo is also expected to be a free agent target in July.
