Raptors to amnesty Linas Kleiza
The Toronto Raptors plan to amnesty forward Linas Kleiza on Tuesday, a league source told Yahoo! Sports.
Kleiza had previously exercised a player option in his Raptors contract to make $4.6 million next season. The Raptors, however, decided Monday to use the amnesty clause on Kleiza, a source said. The move will save Toronto from a luxury-tax hit, although the franchise still has to pay Kleiza's salary.
If no team under the salary cap makes a waiver bid for Kleiza, he will become an unrestricted free agent.
Kleiza played for Olympiakos of the Greek League during the 2009-10 season, and a source said his preference is to return to play overseas again. Kleiza averaged 7.4 points and 2.6 rebounds in 20 games last season while being slowed by a knee injury.
Kleiza, 28, last played in an NBA game on Dec. 28, 2012.
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