Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) Opts Out Of Contract With Sixers To Become A Free Agent

@BWyche June 17, 2012 0

Leon Rose, the agent for 76ers guard Lou Williams, confirmed on Saturday that the team’s leading scorer will opt out of the final year of his contract. Williams becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Williams, 25, was due $6.39 million next season.

Last season, Williams averaged 14.9 points per game without starting a single game, becoming the first player to lead his team in total points without making a single start since Dell Curry did so for Charlotte in 1993-94.

While Williams is opting out of his deal, it does not guarantee that he will not return to the team. Under the terms of the new collective bargain agreement negotiated last December, if the Sixers were to sign Williams to an extension before his contract expired at the end of next season they would have only been able to extend him for three more seasons.

Teams can begin negotiating with potential free agents on July 1. Deals can be signed between players and teams on July 11.

Williams, drafted in the second round by the Sixers in the 2005 draft, has spent all seven of his seasons with the Sixers.