Baron Davis didn't want to be here (long term), and Warriors didn't want him here (long term)

July 3, 8:11 AMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

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 Baron Davis

Now that Baron Davis is getting settled down in L.A., and a day or so has passed since he agreed to play for the Clippers, maybe it’s time to try to simplify things.

First and maybe foremost is that it seems obvioius that the Warriors didn’t want to keep Davis around, and Davis didn’t want to stick around. That was the foundation both parties were working under during the so-called negotiations that never went anywhere (no wonder), so it’s pretty easy to see _ in retrospect _ how this all happened.

Think about it: After the Warriors were blindsided and got word late Monday that Davis was opting out of the final year of his deal, the first call management made was not to Davis’ agent, Todd Ramasar.

No, the Warriors called Gilbert Arenas and immediately dropped a five-year, $100-million offer on him. And right about now, Arenas has almost the same injury concerns as Davis considering Arenas is coming off two knee surgeries.

Gilbert Arenas 

In other words, the Warriors were reluctant to give Davis a two-year extension but were willing to give Arenas five years. What does that tell you?

As for Warriors Call No. 2? That wasn’t to Davis, either. That would have been to the agent for Elton Brand, another player the Warriors have offered close to $100 million for. In case you don’t know, Brand is coming off a ruptured Achilles and played just eight games in 2007-08.
 
It’s clear once Davis opted out, the Warriors made no attempt to reach out and salvage something. Fair enough.

⇒So much of this really came down to Davis’ health and future durability. At the end of the day, the Warriors didn’t think Davis was going to be able to stay healthy enough for long enough to make a sizeable financial commitment to him.

Elton Brand 

And I’m not convinced Davis thinks he can stay healthy for the next few years, either. That’s why it was imperative for him to get as many years as he could right now. And he got five from the Clippers.

If Davis agreed to a two-year extension from the Warriors for $26 or $28 million, he was looking at making approximately $45 million over the next three years _ including the $17.8 he was set to make next year.

That is serious money _ better on average than most elite point guards  _ and it would have set Davis up for one last contract at the age of 32. Not a bad position at all.

Unless Davis didn’t think he could make it intact till 32. Which apparently he didn’t. So, when five years came, it was an easy decision, particularly because it was obvious the Warriors weren’t going to play that game.