West: At this Point in My Career it’s Not All About Money

After 12 seasons, the 35-year-old who had earned two All-Star berths and $87 million in combined salary but had zero championships to his name faced a tough choice: pick up the $12 million player option to play for an Indiana Pacers team that many considered in decline, or take his title pursuit elsewhere while enduring the kind of pay cut that most veterans would never consider. He opted for the latter, signing a veteran’s minimum deal with the Spurs that will pay him $1.49 million in all by season’s end.

“Towards the end of my career, it’s just (about) having options and being able to make decisions based on everything but the fact that I need, need, need money and have to scrape every last dollar out of the NBA,” said West, who has a son and a daughter with his wife, Lesley, and is known as one of the more charitable players in today’s game. “I’m beyond that at this point in my professional and personal life.

Source: Sam Amick of USA Today