NBA teams
Arash Markazi, ESPN Senior Writer 10y

Sources: Clippers trio to opt out

NBA, Los Angeles Clippers

LOS ANGELES -- Clippers guard Darren Collison and forwards Glen Davis and Danny Granger will opt out of the final years of their respective contracts and become free agents this summer, according to sources.

Their decisions had been expected by team officials since the end of the season considering the terms left on their deals.

Collison was due $1.9 million next season; Davis and Granger were scheduled to make around $1.4 million.

Each player's preference is to stay with the Clippers, according to a source, but they are seeking deals for longer than one season and will test the free-agent market.

Collison, 26, is expected to draw the most interest after starting at both point guard and shooting guard for the Clippers when Chris Paul, J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford went down with injuries.

When Paul missed 18 games this past season, the Clippers went 12-6 with Collison starting in his place and averaging 13.3 points and 6.5 assists in 32.6 minutes per game. When the Clippers came back from 22 points down in Game 4 of their second-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, it was largely because of Collison, who scored 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.

Although he is seeking a long-term deal, Collison said coach Doc Rivers and Collison's agent, Bill Duffy, have already talked and that he is hoping to stay with the Clippers if a contract can be worked out.

Davis and Granger came to the Clippers after the trade deadline in February when both veterans were bought out.

Davis played in 23 regular-season games with the team, averaging 4.2 points and 3 rebounds in 13.4 minutes. He averaged 3.8 points and 2.8 rebounds in 12.2 minutes during the postseason.

He also made headlines on March 29 when Rivers sent Davis back to the locker room when the two exchanged words after the coach benched him during a game against the Houston Rockets.

Granger played in 12 regular-season games with the Clippers, averaging 8.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 16.2 minutes. A strained left hamstring sidelined him for the final nine games of the regular season and limited him to just 2.6 points in 10.3 minutes in the postseason as he shot just 27.5 percent from the field.

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