Report: Celtics' Brandon Bass to Decline Player Option, Become FA

Brandon Bass of the Boston Celtics is expected to decline the player option on his current contract and become an unrestricted free agent come July 1.

Bass has been an integral part of the Celtics since coming to the team last year via trade.

Bass showed in both Game 5 of the series against Philadelphia and in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat how his jump shooting, rebounding and tough defense can take a game over and help the Celtics eke out wins.

Bass is making the most of his second chance, as there was a time when he might not have had a future in the NBA after he was drafted in the second round by the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets back in 2005 only after two seasons at LSU.

Bass found himself on the bench during his two years with the Hornets, where he appeared in a total of 50 games. It was not until he signed with the Dallas Mavericks that Bass got a chance to show what he could provide to a team.

As a matter of fact, Bass signed a multi-year contract with the Orlando Magic after putting up some good numbers in Dallas (averaged 8.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in about 19 minutes per game), getting the opportunity to showcase his skills alongside Dwight Howard.

Bass could be a highly pursued player in free agency, as teams are always looking to add a front court presence who can provide scoring and rebounding while playing tough defense.

He will likely see an offer come from the Celtics, but whether or not Bass re-signs could be determined by what other moves are made by Boston to come back competitive in 2012-13.