It's clear team president Robert Rowell is making some of Warriors' basketball decisions

October 4, 6:00 PMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

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Warriors president Robert Rowell and Stephen Jackson 

It’s tough to draw any other conclusion about the Warriors and president Robert Rowell these days except that he is making the team’s basketball decisions.

At least a few of them. 

Some may try to soft-pedal the importance of Rowell vetoing a three-year, $39 million extension for Baron Davis this offseason, _ leading to Davis’ opt out _ but it is significant.

What it means is that Rowell is no longer just assessing the monetary aspect of deals and instructing accordingly. He’s assessing the player aspect of deals and instructing accordingly.

If Davis’ possible contract extension would have had luxury tax implications, then, of course, Rowell should have been in on things.

But this extension had no luxury tax implications. None.

The Warriors may have had to finesse a little in the coming year or two, but for 2008-09 they were good as far as the tax was concerned. And that was even with Davis set to earn $17.8 million.

If it wasn’t the tax, then it must have been the number of guaranteed years: three. But that, my friends, is getting into the basketball stuff.

Don't forget that Stephen Jackson said recently he's been dealing directly with Rowell and owner Chris Cohan on a contract extension. That would seem to be further evidence of Rowell's expansive role.

Mullin and Davis' agent, Todd Ramasar, had been working on a deal for over a year. Davis wanted more years, and the Warriors wanted to give him less. Davis wanted more money, and the Warriors wanted to pay him less.

Of course Mullin was concerned about Davis’ long-term health. But in the end, Mullin made a basketball judgment to give Davis three guaranteed years.

The most important thing you need to know about Davis’ three-year, $39 million extension offer is this: It was fair. Absolutely fair.

So fair that neither side really liked it, a sure sign they had come to middle ground.

The deal was thought out and sound, and was the kind of deal you let your  vice president of basketball operations live or die with. It's not a deal you put a halt to unless something else is going on _ like you don't really want Davis here in the first place. 

Davis was going to be in the salary ballparks of Tony Parker and Chauncey Billups, but he wasn’t going to be on the pay scale of a Chris Paul or Deron Williams. That sounded about right.

Mullin thought so. Ramasar thought so. Davis thought so.

Rowell did not, and came back with one less guaranteed year and $12 million less in guaranteed money.

See ya, Baron.