[h2]Baron Davis opts-out: A shocker and a humongous risk, unless he has an under-the-table deal[/h2]
Posted by
Tim Kawakami on June 30th, 2008 at 7:33 pm | Categorized as
NBA,
Warriors
You don't shock most NBA types easily. Seen it all. Figure the biggest players are the ones most capable of the biggest surprises.
But I just did a quick survey of a few people around the league and they are stunned, just stunned, that Baron Davis chose to reverse course and opt-out of the last year and $17.8-million contract.
It was done quietly, too, which surprises me almost as much. I never imagined Davis would opt-out (I am on LOUD RECORD on that one, so Baron can laugh at me forever-unless he screwed this up royally, we'll see), but I also figured that if he did, he'd do it with horns blaring.
Nope. The paperwork apparently got over to the Warriors without fanfare today after 4 p.m. Nobody there expected it or had any pre-warning, especially since Baron's agent said last week that he almost certainly wouldn't be opting out.
Then the news broke when the NBA released a list of free agents, with Baron's name on it. Ding-ding-ding!
Here's what I know after a couple quick conversations:
* The Warriors are NOT immediately under the cap because of this. They're still on the books for Baron's salary-cap hold which is 200% 150% of last season's salary. That'd be about $24.7 million.
In order to be released from Baron's cap hold they'd either have to renounce his rights (doubtful) or re-sign him at some lower rate (possible, I guess) for a long-term deal.
* There is only one team that has enough cap room right now to sign Baron to any kind of significant free agent deal-Memphis. And the Grizzlies just drafted O.J. Mayo and drafted Mike Conley last year and have several other good point guards already on the roster.
The Clippers can get way under, but only if they renounce Elton Brand (who also surprisingly opted out) and Corey Maggette (possible) or if both sign with other teams.
I doubt the Clippers would renounce Brand-since they can sign-and-trade him for something good.
Philadelphia can get under, but only if it renounces or loses restricted free agent Andre Igoudala.
Atlanta can get under, but only if it renounces or loses RFAs Josh Smith and/or Josh Childress.
* I think Baron's agent, Todd Ramasar, believes he can get a sign-and-trade deal that nets Baron better long-term money or believes he can get the Warriors to give Baron a long-term deal outright that they would not give him before he was an unrestricted free agent.
I don't know about that from the Warriors' point of view. But again, you never know.
* The Warriors don't have a point guard under contract. This is going to be chaos for a few weeks here.
I don't think Baron minds that. Does he have an under-the-table deal already negotiated? You'd think he'd have to have some idea that the money is out there, but it's hard to see where it'd come from, if the Warriors don't want to play ball in a sign-and-trade.
It's a huge risk. I give Baron credit for taking it. He's been unhappy with the Warriors for a while now… he's letting his value do the talking… Let's see what he finds out.
Well, let's see what Baron can get out there if he wants to put us in this situation.
