The New Jersey Nets could have forward Travis Outlaw back at practice on Friday as he has been cleared for contact (via ESPN New York). According to head coach Avery Johnson, Outlaw will not be available for the Nets' preseason game on Dec. 17 against the New York Knicks.
Outlaw could be waived by the team before then if the Nets decide to take advantage of the new NBA amnesty clause. The deadline for using the clause is Friday, Dec. 16. If the Nets do not exercise the amnesty option to free themselves from one contract, they will be unable to do so until the 2012 offseason. Outlaw potentially clears up $7 million in cap space for the team.
Outlaw was not in a good position to stay with the team even before he broke his hand during offseason boxing training. If the Nets had acquired one of their targets, it would have been almost a certainty that Outlaw would have been an amnesty clause casualty. For the time being, we'll have to watch and wait until Friday to see if Outlaw is still with the Nets.
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