For the Warriors, the luxury tax rears its ugly head again

July 1, 10:09 AMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

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Baron Davis walks from the Warriors and $17.8 million.

This isn’t the first time the specter of the luxury tax has hampered Warriors executive vice president of basketball operations Chris Mullin. It’s happened a couple of times already.

Baron Davis opted out of the last year of his contract on Monday, walking away from $17.8 million and shocking the Warriors’ front office in the meantime. Davis was pushing for a contract extension this offseason, but it is clear the Warriors were luke-warm to the idea at best.

One of the reasons the Warriors were luke-warm is because of the luxury tax. Simply put Warriors president Robert Rowell is not going to pay the dollar-for-dollar penalty that goes along with it.

Mike Miller 

Giving Davis a long-term extension at sizeable money would have brought the luxury tax into play for the remainder of the summer. And the Warriors weren’t going to do that.

In fairness to the Warriors, few NBA owners are willing to pay the tax, and perhaps more importantly, going over the tax doesn’t ensure success. Take a look at the New York Knicks.

But the Warriors have maintained all along that they might be able to go over the tax for the right piece, a difference-making player who could elevate them to elite status. Apparently, Memphis’ Mike Miller wasn’t that player.

The Warriors had an opportunity to acquire Miller at the trade deadline for their $9.9 milllion trade exception, but wound up saying no because that would have severely cramped their style when dealing with restricted free agents Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins.

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Miller probably wouldn’t have put the Warriors into the Western Conference finals, but he likely would have put them into the postseason.

The luxury tax already may have cost the Warriors Kevin Garnett last offseason. The Warriors were said to be in the mix for Garnett but would have had to give him an extension in the $80 million range. Didn’t happen.

It seems all but certain Davis is gone, and that is a crushing blow to the Warriors. Without Davis running the point _ or a reasonable facsimile _ the Warriors have little chance to compete for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

And it’s  all because of that dreaded luxury tax.