Phoenix Suns pass on Earl Clark's option

Just as Jared Dudley was pleasantly surprised to work out a contract extension Monday night, the deadline passed with no surprise and a grim Suns future for second-year forward Earl Clark.

The Suns passed on a $2.03 million team option to keep Clark for 2011-12, setting him up to be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

"A little bit disappointed," Clark said. "But in this business, that's what you got to go through. There's nothing I can do about it now but stay positive, continue to be a good teammate and work hard."
Clark has been a diligent worker and grasped the offense better by focusing on the power-forward spot. But the results never clicked in real time, and a rotation vacancy vanished after the team's July additions.