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Report: Pelicans won't pick up option on Austin Rivers

Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports / reuters

Top-10 picks don't usually reach free agency after only three seasons, but Austin Rivers isn't a typical top-10 pick.

While the New Orleans Pelicans did pick up Anthony Davis's fourth-year option Friday, the team declined to do so for Rivers, according to The Times Picayune's John Reid.

New Orleans has until Oct. 31 to pick up Rivers' fourth-year option for 2015-16, but Reid, citing a league source, reports that salary cap concerns will prevent the Pelicans from doing so. The team reportedly wants to re-sign Omer Asik next summer, and guard Eric Gordon holds a $15.5-million player option for next season.

Rivers, whose fourth-year option is worth slightly more than $3.1 million, will become an unrestricted free agent come July if the Pelicans don't pull the trigger before the deadline.

That's a rarity for players as highly regarded as Rivers was heading into the draft. But the 22-year-old has struggled mightily since the Pelicans selected him 10th overall in 2012.

Through two NBA seasons, Rivers has averaged 7.0 points, 2.2 assists and 1.8 rebounds in about 21 minutes per game, shooting a pitiful 39 percent from the field and 60 percent from the free-throw line.

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