If a player is released and subject to waivers, what does it imply for the player's future?

When a player is released and placed on waivers, it means that other teams have the opportunity to claim that player and take on their contract. The player's future is contingent on whether any team decides to claim him within a specific waiver period, typically 24 hours. If a team does claim the player, they assume the player's contract, and the player must join that team.

This process is designed to protect teams from losing players for nothing, as they have the ability to claim a player who may still have value to other franchises. If multiple teams place a claim on the player, the team with the highest priority in the waiver order will secure the player. Only if no team claims the player during the waiver period does he become a free agent and can sign with any team, thereby having the opportunity to negotiate new terms.

The other options do not accurately represent how waivers work — for instance, a player cannot immediately join any team after being released. Thus, the nature of waivers and the claiming process directly supports the assertion that the player can only sign with the team that claims him.