Nuggets' JaMychal Green declines $7.6M player option for 2021-22, will be UFA

Nuggets forward JaMychal Green is headed to unrestricted free agency this summer. He’s declining the $7.56M option on the final year of his contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The 31-year-old Green appeared in 58 regular-season games this past season, including five starts, and averaged 8.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in 19.3 minutes per game. He also averaged 5.4 points and 5.2 rebounds in 19 minutes per contest during the postseason. He missed the first five games of the season with a calf strain.

He’s also played for the Clippers, Grizzlies and Spurs.

The Nuggets became a hard-capped team after signing Green with the mid-level exception last offseason. The mid-season acquisition of Aaron Gordon ate into his playing time.

Green might be taking a bit of a gamble, considering he’s been mainly a second-unit player much of his career. However, he’s a solid rotation player and can now find a new home where he might receive a bigger opportunity.