Metta World Peace hit the open market on Sunday, freeing him to consider possible job offers in New York, Los Angeles and perhaps Shanghai. His destination should become clear within a few days.
World Peace, who was waived Friday by the Los Angeles Lakers, became a free agent at 5 p.m. Sunday after no team put in a claim for him. The Knicks and the Los Angeles Clippers had interest, but no formal offers had been made as of Sunday evening.
Publicly, World Peace has continued to flirt with the idea of playing in China - for the Shanghai team owned by his former Houston Rockets teammate Yao Ming - a possibility that is not as far-fetched as it sounds, although one that he will more likely pursue after his N.B.A. career.
So the decision will probably come down to the Knicks and the Clippers, assuming that both make an offer. That is not a certainty. Knicks officials are considering a number of options to fill out their roster, and they were still deliberating how aggressively to pursue World Peace. Other teams could enter the picture.
An eccentric personality but still a hard-nosed defender, the 33-year-old World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest, would fit well on a Knicks team that is desperate for frontcourt help. With his local roots - he was born in Queens and played at St. John's - he would be an extremely popular addition.
Earlier in his career, Artest spoke often about wanting to play for his hometown team, although he was less enthusiastic when Los Angeles reporters raised the possibility Friday.
The Clippers also hold obvious appeal: they are one of the top contenders in the Western Conference and have one of the N.B.A.'s most respected coaches, Doc Rivers. World Peace has lived in Los Angeles since joining the Lakers four years ago.
In a text message sent to The Los Angeles Times, World Peace said: "Of course I'm interested in Clippers. I have to meet them first." He is also likely to meet with Knicks officials this week in Las Vegas, where the N.B.A. is holding its summer league.
World Peace continued to tease fans via Twitter on Sunday. In the morning, he wrote, "#Mettacomehome," seemingly alluding to New York. Hours later, he wrote: "Great talks with YAO. What a great guy. #Shanghai."
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