INDIANAPOLIS -- Sam Perkins, the oldest player in the NBA last season, just didn't fit into the Indiana Pacers' plans any more.

	Perkins

He was too old to be part of their youth movement and too expensive to keep around. Monday, the Pacers waived Perkins, one of the best outside shooting big men in league history.

"In the pre-luxury tax days, you gave the edge to a player like Sam," team president Donnie Walsh said after announcing the decision. "Now, with the luxury tax, and we are close to that, it forces you to make the decision to go with a younger player."

Perkins, who turned 40 in June, decided to retire before last season.

But the forward-center reconsidered retirement and returned to the Pacers for a 17th season, agreeing to a three-year deal. Walsh said that even then, Perkins knew the reality was he had a one-year contract.

"That's why the last two years weren't guaranteed," Walsh said. "Either way, he knew it could have happened this way."

Walsh cited financial reasons and playing time for younger players as the primary reasons to release Perkins.

Teams with payrolls above a certain level, estimated at $54 million, will have to pay a dollar-per-dollar tax to the NBA. This is the first year for the luxury tax, and the payroll limit will be announced following the season.

The other issue was playing time. With free agent Carlos Rogers, young veterans such as Jeff Foster, Bruno Sundov and Jermaine O'Neal and rookie Primoz Brezec, Walsh figured Perkins would take away minutes from the younger players.

"The bottom line is that we have to give the younger players some playing time," Walsh said.

The Pacers said Perkins, through his agent, agreed to have the move announced before Oct. 1 so that he would have a better opportunity to continue his playing career -- if he wants.

"I think he still does have the desire to play," Walsh said. "He decided to come back last year, and I asked him about it during the season and he indicated he still wanted to play."

Perkins, who played with Michael Jordan on North Carolina's 1982 national championship team, was the fourth overall choice by Dallas in 1984.

He played six seasons with the Mavericks and ranks among the franchise's top five in rebounds, blocks, points and steals.

He spent the next two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers before moving to Seattle for part of the next season. After 30 games, Perkins was back with the Lakers to finish the season.

In 1993-94, he returned to Seattle, where he played five seasons before signing with the Pacers in 1998-99.

Last season, Perkins started 41 of 64 games, averaging 3.8 points and 2.6 rebounds. Over his career he has averaged 11.9 points and 6.0 rebounds.

Perkins also was a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team, which won a gold medal.