By not informing the Los Angeles Lakers that he was exercising the option on his contract, Karl Malone will become a free agent.

The move was expected because it gives Malone greater contractual flexibility if he decides to play next year and return to the Lakers.

But retirement may be Malone's ultimate choice.  

Malone will be 41 this summer and had his first injury-plagued season of his NBA career.

"The first priority for him is we're going to meet with doctors this week and have MRIs done on both legs, specifically his right leg," Malone's agent Dwight Manley said. "He has made it clear he won't play if he's not 100 percent healthy.