Pending further developments, Baron Davis' departure is a devastating loss for Warriors [SF Examiner]

"It seems apparent the Warriors are in scramble mode here. How else can you explain them making an offer of $100 million to Arenas, a guard coming off two knee surgeries, but they were unwilling to extend Kevin Garnett for $80 million which would have brought him here from Minnesota last summer.

Sure, the Warriors will go shopping for a point guard right now. And sure they have money to spend now that Davis is gone. But if you think every team in the league doesn’t know the Warriors are in desperation mode right now, seeking a point guard, you’re crazy.

The Warriors aren't exactly in a position of strength here. They very well may get some kind of acceptable point guard replacement for Davis, but he will come at a steep price."-- Matt Steinmetz
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GSoM friend Matt Steinmetz's new Warriors blog is a definite must-read. He deserves props for telling it like it is and for providing so many insider insights.

3 months ago Atma Brother ONE Comment 45 comments 0 recs |

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agreed

we are going to be what portland was last year. A team barely able to stay above .500

by saintdee on Jul 3, 2008 12:01 AM PDT 0 recs

to be honest

i think we are more like sacramento right now. martin comparing to monta, jack comparing to artest, miller and biedrins, and both got a bunch of young talent on the bench. i predict we have a similar record to sac with hoo ever we get to put in our PG spot.

by GSwarrior on Jul 3, 2008 12:21 AM PDT up 0 recs

Have to disagree about the Portland comparison

We aren’t going to be like Portland of last season. They were able to achieve what many knows as future success because they have a smart front office.

If i were to make a comparison I would compare the Blazers with Billy Beane and the A’s. The Warriors? Just wannabes.

I’ll reiterate this one more time. We have a lost front office. They were simply incompetent in getting a well rounded roster and now we went from guard heavy to forward heavy stacked with projects. Here’s the most recent example of incompetence.

It was no secret anywhere that we needed a point and they failed at the most opportune times which would have been last season with the TE and the drafts. I understand that front court help was also a priority but I find it hard to believe that the front office went into the off season thinking that we’ll run Baron for 45+ mins a game again over the course of an 82 game season. This is made worst especially seeing how with the current developments, the FO didn’t even plan on keeping Baron for the foreseeable future and yet did nothing this past off season when they had so many options. Those options being : sign & trade, TE, moving up into the draft or getting more picks with packaged trades.

by gunwing54 on Jul 3, 2008 12:35 AM PDT up 0 recs

so you would have given Baron 5 years?

Thats the option. Give him 5 years, or rebuild.

by Nellieball on Jul 3, 2008 12:45 AM PDT up 0 recs

As a fan? Yes.

I’m sure many have already pointed out how Baron pretty much made the Warriors relevant again so I’m not going to get into that. But then again I’m not even sure how that question is relevant seeing how my qualms weren’t about how we didn’t resign him but how we let him go with nothing but more headaches and some cap space.

What I complained about is how the front office messed this up. First by allowing it to deteriorate to this state and then pouring salt on the wound by going out and trying to get Brand or Arena’s. The whole “were in rebuilding mode” argument was nullified when they offered MAX DEALS to two star players that are injury prone. If they had planned to rebuild in the first place those players shouldn’t even be mentioned. Mind you I’m not saying those two aren’t great players but by getting either one means the Warriors would have went over the cap which in turn means “win now”. Getting anyone of those guys automatically puts us over the cap when we haven’t even signed Monta or Beans.

Quickie about the cap situation:

If Pietrus isn’t renounced, the Warriors would be at $46.1M with 10 players on the roster. That’d be about $12M to spend under the cap. All of this is presuming that the Warriors would hold off on re-signing Ellis

That’s from Tim Kawakami’s blog. The Warriors offered Arena’s $20 mil a year.
Rebuilding would have meant a trade up into the draft and that wasn’t an entirely impossible scenario seeing how a couple of teams (the Heat included) reportedly were willing to trade down. Seeing the unwillingness of the Warriors to give any thought of Baron beyond 2010 then why didn’t they consider packaging him for a trade up?

Again I bring up the point that regardless of Baron playing for us or not, it is a fact that we needed a PG last season and also for the coming season. The “Monta as PG” experiment ended partially not because it was a failure but because Monta’s so much more useful to us as an off guard. Unless CJ Watson showed the brass something the beat writers and us fans didn’t see then its not hard to draw the conclusion that up till this point the Warriors forgot that a well rounded team needs 2 competent PGs. Seeing how they squandered their chance at getting 1 or maybe 2 competent guards in the past year without this drama then isn’t fair to call the Warriors brass incompetent?

by gunwing54 on Jul 3, 2008 2:26 AM PDT up 0 recs

asdf

We couldn’t trade Baron untill July(unless he signed letter stating he wouldn’t opt out), so that idea wasn’t possible.

by Psion on Jul 3, 2008 10:45 AM PDT up 0 recs

Ah......I see

Thanks for clearing that up. But that still leaves a couple of options that they had last year open. i.e. Mr. Harrington and the #14 pick along with the TE to name a few

by gunwing54 on Jul 3, 2008 11:34 AM PDT up 0 recs

You don’t think that our immense cap space can’t land us a Star much less a PG. If you knew that the W’s needed a PG than every else did also. Meaning that they just weren’t gonna give us a PG, not mention that almost half the league could use a PG. Seriously, if we knew Baron was talking to the Clips to set up this coup de tat than we would have trade his ass, and used our TE for a PG already. Instead he ops out with FOUR hours left before the TE expires. WTH

by joestar on Jul 3, 2008 7:23 PM PDT up 0 recs

As a fan, it is easy to give Baron 5 years and 65 million. It’s not your money. However, do you really think Baron is going to be effective throughout that contract? I give him 2 more years of being good, then it is probably an injury/ ineffectiveness situation that now the Clippers are stuck with. Baron is not Steve Nash, Chris Paul, or Deron Williams. He led this team to the 2nd round. Hey, I loved it. I was right there with everyone else cheering my lungs out. But that was a situation where we were cheering just loud enough to not hear everyone else laughing at us.

The point of the NBA is to either field a championship contender or build towards one. I would agree with you that Gilbert was not the way to go. But they have no shot at him anyway. Elton Brand, while I think he stays with the Clippers, is legit. Dude was 2nd team All-NBA 2 years ago when Clippers went to the brink against the Suns in 2nd round. He is better than Boozer, Pau, West, Bosh, ands Antwan in my opinion. Duncan, Amare, Sheed, KG, and Dirk are probably better. One of the top 5-6 power forwards in the league. And what do the Warriors need? A power forward! I don’t think they get him, but I see no problem with offering a legit all star and top post man a max contract for a position that you have needed for a looooooooooong time. Yes he was hurt last year. I’m not going to dispute that. But Elton has been a HELL of a lot more durable than Baron over his career. I say, when you have tons of cap room, there is nothing wrong with trying to get an All-Star and All-Nba caliber player on your team. Baron is neither of those.

Again, I don’t think the Warriors get either Brand or Gilbert. But I don’t fault them for not giving Baron 5 years (which the Clippers were dumb to do) or for trying to get All-NBA talent on your team. Resign Baron for 5 years and what happens? We fight for the 8 seed for 2 years and then he breaks down? No thanks. I would rather get a top 5 power forward or rebuild.

by Nellieball on Jul 3, 2008 11:57 AM PDT up 0 recs

I guess it’s my fault for not making it clear the first time but i don’t dispute the fact that not resigning Davis was the smarter basketball move.

Now I don’t see how signing Elton Brand would be a move towards rebuilding. Agreed, Elton Brand is a tremendous player but the people that has been clearly stated as the building blocks are as follows: Ellis, Andris, Wright, Belineli, & Randolph.

I’ll reiterate this again. The Warriors have (according to Tim Kawakami) about $12 mil of cap space without signing Monta to an extension. By offering Brand a reported $18 mil a year you do realize that means the Warriors will be $6 mil over the cap before signing Monta Ellis, the one player that is undoubtedly the most important player currently still representing the Warriors. How would the Warriors be rebuilding if they go over the cap before resigning Ellis and leaving no cap space for future extensions of Wright, Belineli, & Randolph?

We needed to dump Baron’s salary because of various reasons (i.e. age, history of injury) if we are to move forward into the future with our current crop of young projects and assets. Baron leaving was inevitable but if you are saying that paying Brand whose coming off a blown Achilles and then go over the cap is smart? I hope you know that Elton Brand is also 29 years old and also turning 30 this year which guess what, he only has about 2 years left in him.

by gunwing54 on Jul 3, 2008 6:04 PM PDT up 0 recs

All our young pieces will be restricted free agents we can keep them even if we didn’t have cap room. Besides by then the contracts of Jax and Al will be off the books.

by joestar on Jul 3, 2008 7:25 PM PDT up 0 recs

the current roster

wouldn’t even contend for the NBDL title…. im not even trying to be funny which is the sad part

by ellllaly on Jul 3, 2008 6:16 AM PDT up 0 recs

Really?

If the two best players in the NBDL the past years are both bench players on the W’s, then how can we not destroy the NBDL, much less be competitive? GTFO

by joestar on Jul 3, 2008 7:27 PM PDT up 0 recs

W's Management

I would have to agree. I put alot of faith in Mullie simply for the fact I grew up loving Run TMC. The honey moon period is over and I feel after 5 years, we have nothing to show for it. Ellis and Beidrins are RFAs who we failed to lock up to long term deals last year, BD is gone with no other PG option except CJ Watson? Maybe we can sign Cassel or trade for Starbury…NOT! We cry luxury tax and injury history to a long term offer to BD only to offer more and longer to an equally injured Brand. Brand is good but he is not great. Great is KG who we choked on. Arenas is gone and perhaps we are better for it. Truly I feel we need playmakers at the PG position and since Mully has been here we have neglected the position in the draft. In my opinion they have been smuggly sitting on their collective laurels aft BD. Enough with the 6’3 shooting guards we keep trying to convert to points. If history will prove Nellie has never been able to convert those types of players in to legitamate PGs. So don’t give me the whole “best possible athlete v. need” argument cause I think you should address needs. Otherwise you could end upe with a plethora of fowards and nothing else…oh did I just describe the Warriors. As for Portland, they have agressively added to the draft, they have bought extra draft picks and are loaded with young talent at every position. Can the same be said of the W’s? We drafted a 6’10 SG, a 6’8 PF, our signed PG/SG are out of the developement league and we have one slow footed center rumored to be interested in going back to Europe. Maybe I should give Mullie the benefit of the doubt?

by Ultimate Warrior on Jul 5, 2008 12:58 AM PDT up 0 recs

Isn't it fair to call the Warriors brass incompetent?

by gunwing54 on Jul 3, 2008 2:28 AM PDT 0 recs

And here's the whole quote from Tim's blog

If Pietrus isn’t renounced, the Warriors would be at $46.1M with 10 players on the roster. That’d be about $12M to spend under the cap.
All of this is presuming that the Warriors would hold off on re-signing Ellis before they go shopping for other free agents, because he’ll almost certainly get a deal starting at $7M or $8M and that would eat up more than $6M in cap room.

by gunwing54 on Jul 3, 2008 2:30 AM PDT 0 recs

Actually

According to Hoopshype.com we are about 28mil under the cap as of right now, assuming that the new cap figure is 58 mil.

Here’s the link if you don’t BELIEVE. http://hoopshype.com/salaries/golden_state.htm

by joestar on Jul 3, 2008 7:30 PM PDT up 0 recs

Their salaries are not an accurate representation of where the Warriors stand vis a vis the cap. It does not factor in Foyle’s reduced buyout price and ignores the cap hold amounts for Biedrins (the figure listed is the QO, not the same thing) or Ellis or Azubuike or Pietrus.

by jae on Jul 3, 2008 9:49 PM PDT up 0 recs

At this point where those players haven’t made a commitment, is what the W’s salary figure looks like. After next week those amounts will be counted in when the W’s decide to retain or renounce rights. As for now we got more money than anyone else in the league to spend.

by joestar on Jul 4, 2008 12:33 AM PDT up 0 recs

No, it’s not what the salaries look like. Regardless of the commitments made, Foyle does not that much cap space. He’s not owed that much. Monta does hold cap space (about a mil) as does Azubuike, and Biedrins runs us about $8mil in cap space presently. That does not reflect what they’ll get paid, but it reflects what we can spend. The Hoopshype numbers are not an accurate representation of what we can spend under the cap. The number Hoopshype presents isn’t useful for determining how much the Warriors have nor how much they’ll likely be spending.

by jae on Jul 4, 2008 10:05 AM PDT up 0 recs

The bombshell for me

they were unwilling to extend Kevin Garnett for $80 million which would have brought him here from Minnesota last summer.

Is this true? I’ve never heard it stated so unequivocally. Steinmetz is usually pretty reliable, so I’d love to hear him elaborate. If it’s true that Mullin

1. Killed the KG deal by refusing to offer a freaking extension
2. Offered $5/100 to Arenas (love the guy, but c’mon, a ballhog tweener guard with balky knees, when we already have Monta?)

I think it’s pretty fair to question his competence as a GM. Obviously I supported the Dunmurphy and JRich deals, and I don’t totally blame him for Baron bolting, but sometimes it seems like he’s in way over his head as an NBA GM. I mean, no GM can bat 1.000, obviously, but all-told, Mullin seems to be hitting about .100.

So, yeah, if we fail to land Brand, Smith, or Iguodala, or (next year) Deron Williams … I say off with his flat-topped head!!!!

Sign ^^^^ !!

by Sleepy Freud on Jul 3, 2008 7:57 AM PDT 0 recs

Ah-OO-gah (eyes bugging out of head)

I, too, found that little nugget to be quite the grenade in the lap, Freud. I figured the whole litany of comments would be about that section of the post, but you’re the first responder on the list. Every item I ever read about the Garnett courting was all about what Minny would get in return; I never read anything that claimed it was about contract extensions. Steinmetz needs to substantiate that statement (though the whole KG issue is so much water under the bridge. At this point, I imagine you could say just about anything about it and no one’s going to hold anyone’s feet to the fire over it.)

Kevin Correia: MLB's best fifth starter on a last place team

by VidaWantsYourCar on Jul 3, 2008 8:53 AM PDT up 0 recs

sigh

I’m honestly too burnt out from the current Baron/no PG debacle to even begin to contemplate “what ifs” in regards to past KG trades.

by gunwing54 on Jul 3, 2008 9:18 AM PDT up 0 recs

The rumors about what was and wasn’t offered in the potential Garnett deal fly. Steinmetz is taking the easy ‘kickemwhenthey’redown’ route, but it doesn’t sound like he’s doing anything but rehashing rumors. He, like most writers, don’t really understand the cap. He puts in nuggets when it suits his needs, ignores them when he doesn’t. From a business perspective, Boston had a better deal for them, a better deal because they had expiring contracts. We didn’t. That’s salary cap 101.

The rumors about Arenas are flying too. Who reported the $100 for Gil? It wasn’t the Warriors (who can’t comment on offers at this point). Maybe it was Gil’s people slipping something, but if so, are we to believe that Gil won’t exaggerate a bit? That his agent isn’t using some rumors as bargaining chips with the Wiz?

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say we don’t really know what’s going on.

I DON’T think Mullin is a particularly competent GM. He never sounded particularly bright when he was interviewed as a player and his qualifications was that he was a very hard working player who understudied under an incompetent GM for a couple years. He’s clearly shown he’s reacting to the last move more than anticipating the next.

The only move that may work to their advantage in this is that offering Brand big cash may force Clipps to change the deal for him and Baron and try to negotiate a sign and trade instead. Mullin should drive a hard bargain there. Maggs could be a good player to see if he’s happy coming here, though not at a real high price (which means he’s probably out of the deal) as he’s not the guy you want to take up all the cap space you’d clear otherwise. They need to dump salary? Then it’s gonna cost them picks. These aren’t likely to be great, but it’s better than nothing.

by jae on Jul 3, 2008 9:16 AM PDT up 0 recs

One Word.

McHale.

by joestar on Jul 3, 2008 7:30 PM PDT up 0 recs

+1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

by Nellieball on Jul 4, 2008 12:15 AM PDT up 0 recs

The KG Numbers

y2008m7d4-Write-back-at-you-on-Garnetts-nonextension-Kevin-Pritchard-so-far-and-Ike-Diogu-the-unknown” target=”_blank”>http://www.examiner.com/x-441-Golden-State-Warriors-Examinery2008m7d4-Write-back-at-you-on-Garnetts-nonextension-Kevin-Pritchard-so-far-and-Ike-Diogu-the-unknown

First response is to Phil, who wanted to know where I got that the Warriors wouldn’t give Kevin Garnett an $80 million extension when the sides were talking trade around last year’s draft.
Of course, I can’t tell you where I got it. I can just tell you that I believe the people that I got it from.

With all due respect, just because you hadn’t heard it before doesn’t mean it’s not true. Isn’t that why you read all this stuff? To find out things you maybe didn’t know?

You likely never heard that former Warrior Chris Mills once cursed out and threatened Eric Musselman in front of everyone on the team plane after Musselman left Mills at the Pepsi Center in Denver after he took too long to ice after a game.

Or that former Warrior Rony Seikaly used to go skiing when he was on the injured list with an ankle injury, or that Dickey Simpkins watched Latrell Sprewell choke P.J. Carlesimo from 10 feet away and never moved a half-step to break it up.

Haha this franchise does have a wonderful little history doesn’t it?

by Atma Brother ONE on Jul 4, 2008 8:08 PM PDT up 0 recs

Sputtering

Based on Mullin et al’s current player maneuverings, I’m not sure what directions the Warriors are going in. Mullin’s ability to ditch his horrible “core” of dunmurphy, fisher, foyle, ike soon after he signed them to those contracts suggested to me that he was interested in upgrading and going all in for now. we not only got a little older, but a lot more athletic and most importantly skilled. i don’t see the jrich trade as really a huge loss of sorts in hindsight given that all teams gotta have some youngins training in the wings and we know the Warriors have enough of those. but in drafting Randolph (who I’m oddly excited about) and now losing Baron Davis, I’m beginning to think that the Warriors are in rebuilding mode. The problem with this, in my opinion, is the Warriors are loaded with players who are either super raw, one-dimensional, or temperamental - much different situation than Portland - who maybe everyone is overhyping but even i’m more hyped about their prospects than ours. Are the Warriors betting their future on players who don’t know how to play yet (Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph and Biedrins too for that matter?) Or are the Warriors willing to wait 5+ years, ala Travis Outlaw, for these youngin’ to mature and even then Travis Outlaw isn’t the surefire star everyone says he is year to year, summer league after summer league. Or are they just going to end up getting a bunch of Pietrus type players. Athletically off the charts, but one-trick-ponies.

Maybe not knowing whats going to happen is part of the excitement of it all. I guess i’m more satisfied that the Warriors are trying to create capspace because they were starting to look a little like Cleveland to me, random assortment of b to c-grade players with a 3-4 extraordinary games per season at best locked into relatively hefty contracts. Plus, no one really would want them either. Maybe realizing that this core group of players is an extremely flawed group and its time to ditch this project too?

okay enough rambling.

by dj fuzzylogic on Jul 3, 2008 8:46 AM PDT 0 recs

No, Steinmetz is a reporter, and he MUST substantiate that Garnett point

That’s not old news, that’s huge news, if true. That totally affects how I view the Warriors, and frankly, it makes me question if I can even root for them going forward, at least as long as Mulhan (forget Mulson) is running the show—and I’ve been a fan since the early ‘70s. If we punted on Garnett because we didn’t want to pay him what Kevin Garnett is worth, then I think we all need to question why the F we even follow this team. That would be like hearing definitive proof that we could have traded Tellis Frank for Larry Bird in 1987, but didn’t want to take on a burdensome contract.

C’mon Matt, break it down. This might be the Internet, but you’re still a trained newspaperman and a professional reporter. So give us the dope or clam up.

by BlueInTheFace on Jul 3, 2008 9:41 AM PDT up 0 recs

WERD.

I agree 100%. If this story is true, it might be time to blow this pop stand. A little birdy actually told me you, like me, are secretly warming up to the Celtics. I mean, I know how much you hate Boston teams, but think of all the pleasure being a fan of the Cs (Green in the Face?) would bring. As Guy Woodhouse said, “we’d be getting so much in return…” ;-)

Sign ^^^^ !!

by Sleepy Freud on Jul 3, 2008 9:59 AM PDT up 0 recs

starting to look a little like Cleveland ?

Lebron, I can work with that!

by Skeptic con Urquell on Jul 3, 2008 10:43 AM PDT up 0 recs

PS

Speaking of old-but-not-unimportant news, there was a report on ESPN after the Lakers’ Gasol heist that a “prominent GM from a Western Conference team” said he was in serious talks to get Gasol, but ownership wouldn’t take on the contract. I have a hard time believing even Cohan is that penurious—or do I? But how many other “prominent” WC GMs are there? Are any other Western GMs aside from Chris Mullin even remotely famous? Well, Steve Kerr. But I can’t believe the Suns would have been so idiotic, and they certainly have never shown an unwillingness to pay for talent (just ask Shaq). If Steinmetz or anyone else has any dope on this, I’d love to hear it.

by BlueInTheFace on Jul 3, 2008 9:47 AM PDT 0 recs

I don’t know whether the Warriors made a serious play for Gasol or Garnett, but the “it was ripe to go but Cohan wouldn’t take on the salary’ memes ignore something very, very important: The Lakers and Celtics respectively had better offers than we could have made. Both had something we did not have. Both had big, expiring contracts that were included in the deals. Since Minn and Mem were looking to shed salary, that’s what they wanted. We didn’t have that to offer. And report trying to pass blame on management that ignores that is a poor report.

And yes, there is is some poor reporting when it comes to NBA trades. I’m honestly appalled at how little some journalists seem to know about the salary cap and how quickly the disregard how very, very important it is to NBA dealings.

by jae on Jul 3, 2008 10:40 AM PDT up 0 recs

Amen

The faulty reporting creates faulty info for emo fans to complain about.

by joestar on Jul 3, 2008 7:33 PM PDT up 0 recs

+1

“he said”“she said”... can quickly become “a FACT”. It’s like a virus that spreads faster then wind especially if it comes from someone of the media(since people tend to belive the media more then they belive themselves).

by buky on Jul 3, 2008 1:19 PM PDT 0 recs

Steinmetz is an idiot...

Huge ego & very small intellect.

He dosen’t deserve props for jack… He’s not “telling it as it is”, he’s just being a cynical fool. Dubs just lost their best player, the heart & soul of the team. He’s really going out on a limb there calling this a devestating loss…

I guess the folks at GSoM just find an affinity for another cynic.

Maybe you all should acutally be calling some attention to the thoughtful responses to Baron’s leaving. For example:

The Mind of Mullin blog

Fast Break bog

"To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you're not, pretend you are." - Muhammad Ali

by Dubs Wise on Jul 3, 2008 3:10 PM PDT 0 recs

Stop with the Garnett talk

Why are we dwelling on the past about “possibly having” Garnett? Do we really need more history to prove that our front office is incompetent that we need to dig back up something that’s not even concrete?

by gunwing54 on Jul 3, 2008 6:07 PM PDT 0 recs

Well, that's the thing

The disappointment over KG has always been a nebulous “I wonder how close we were?” type-deal. Steinmetz’s words — “they were unwilling to extend KG, which would have brought him here” — are much closer to concrete than any I’ve read previously; and if true, they’re a pretty scathing indictment of the franchise. Then again, unless and until Steinmetz corroborates, I’m going to take JAE’s advice and remain skeptical.

Sign ^^^^ !!

by Sleepy Freud on Jul 3, 2008 6:30 PM PDT up 0 recs

come on guys

McHale gift wrapped him for his buddy Ainge. Nothing more to it than that.

by Nellieball on Jul 3, 2008 6:55 PM PDT up 0 recs

touche

by gunwing54 on Jul 3, 2008 9:47 PM PDT up 0 recs

Plausible Deniability

Its ironic to me that the thing I dislike most about Mullin is his total unwillingness to be slightly open with the press, fans and public about our direction and his agenda. In truth we don’t know what is going on most of the time. I heard from someone from within the Dubs who I consider reliable that Davis walked when Mullin wanted a team option for the last two years of the deal they offered; so it wasn’t the money but the lenght of the contract.

We are kept in the dark so it is hard to have any warm and fuzzy feelings for Mullin and Co not to mention the distant and seemingly uninterested owner and President. They seem to removed from our passion and, at least to me, Mullin seems to cloak himself in plausible deniablity by taking hardly any responsibility for whatever happens with the franchise. I just don’t get him or trust anything he says.

Matt’s article does underscore something I’ve been thinking about and that is-in 2008 and 2009-even if we have money what bonifide good to star quality players even want to come to Oaktown. This hasn’t been discussed too much if at all (my eyes are blurring from reading, reading, reading…..). I know we can acquire some of what we need via trade and in that sense the players have no choice. But in terms of FA’s, who is going to want to come here, especially after Davis leaving and the circumstances surrounding his decision to leave? I don’t think, but have to admit I don’t this, that players have much respect for our franchise compared to places with upcoming teams like New Orleans and especially Portland, not to mention the allure of the storied franchises.

CWebb is undoubtedly the answer but I forgot the question.

by commish on Jul 3, 2008 9:47 PM PDT 0 recs

Attracting free agents

Good point. I was listening to Gary Radnich this morning and from the sound of the discussion I think they came to the conclusion that Derek Fisher was the most high profile free agent that this team has signed while I’ve been alive. Scary thought.

"...OlympicMike is clearly the Barack Obama of GSoM"-Sleepy

by olympicmike on Jul 3, 2008 11:44 PM PDT up 0 recs

Unless you are L.A., New York, or a Florida team (no state tax), all cap room means is that you get the priviledge of overpaying the Rashard Lewis’ of the world.

by Nellieball on Jul 4, 2008 12:16 AM PDT up 0 recs