Phoenix Suns waive guard Leandro Barbosa

The Phoenix Suns will not be picking up the $4 million salary of guard Leandro Barbosa for next season, as reported by Arizona Sports’ Craig Grialou and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

#Suns decline 217-18 team option on guard Leandro Barbosa, making him an unrestricted free agent

— Craig Grialou (@CraigAZSports) July 3, 2017

The Phoenix Suns are waiving guard Leandro Barbosa, league sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2017

Barbosa’s second year of his contract had only $500,000 guaranteed. The contract became guaranteed at 2 p.m. local time.

The move grants Phoenix an additional $3.5 million in space they can use to either be more aggressive on the free agent market or take on unwanted contracts for future assets from other teams.

Wojnarowski notes this possibility in his piece.

The NBA’s marketplace is teeming with clubs looking to shed high-money contracts, including Toronto, Milwaukee, New York and the Los Angeles Clippers. Phoenix is angling to use its salary cap space as a landing spot for salary dumps, if those contracts are attached to young players or draft picks.

Suns general manager Ryan McDonough is committed to growing a gifted young group of talent, including Devin Booker, TJ Warren, Marquese Chriss, Dragan Bender and the No. 4 pick in the June NBA draft, forward Josh Jackson.

Barbosa played 14.4 minutes per game in his third stint with the Suns last season, averaging 6.3 points per game in his 67 games played.

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