Brand, Baron and what is left...

by JacobMiller on Jul 3, 2008 8:20 AM PDT

Alright, amidst all this talk of an Elton Brand offer and of course Baron's departure, we need to get something straight. I have heard person after person say, Brand isn't coming and this is a PR move to "look" like we are being active, full well knowing there isn't a shot in hell we are getting Elton. But look at the fact that, the clips are offering $70 M for Elton and can only offer $75M for 5 years and stay under the cap. We have been reported to offer as much as $100M for 5 years and that means that Elton would be leaving $25M on the table. Let's say that again, " Elton Brand would rather throw $25M million dollars in to a black hole than play for us".

Now, the first point is this, Elton Brand is a max player but much like Duncan has little flash. He is worth the Money. Secondly, the talk that he will eventually end up with the Clippers , though with alot of relevance, is a disconnect over how much money that really is. He will literally give up $25 million dollars to play for the Clippers. Brand has the same chance at a title with the Warriors (that being slim) as he does with the Clippers. He is gonna bank his title hopes and give up $25M on Baron's knees and Chris Kaman? My point is, this whole thing isn't a for gone conclusion. Ultimately he will , more than likely, stay in LA. But to simply dismiss the notion of our offer as highly unlikely or a simple PR move is to discount how large an offer this is and how disfunctional the Clippers are.

In 2 years time, Baron will be as productive and as good as Derrick Fisher (without Fisher's touch from the free throw line or the 3pt line) and Monte will almost be in leaguewith Iverson at his prime. Brand has alot of upside not the least of which is he is one of 5 big men in the league that fits our system. He can shoot from 20 feet in, he boards, plays D and can post almost anyone in the league up.Put that next to Monte and Andris and Jack and we got a playoff team next year. The Clippers on the other hand have Thornton Kaman and some old legs that cashed in on his most productive season. I don't see this as being so easy for Elton, maybe he doesn't win a title with us next year, but Elton isn't so foolish to think he can in LA. Why give up $25 M to end up in the same place ultimately with a shorter window to win?

This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!

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I agree with this post. What professional player do you know, that would throw away $25 million extra dollars? I can’t think of one. Throwing away $25 million on a pipe dream? I dont think so. I know I am not a professional athlete. But the security of an extra $25 million sure sounds a lot better than playing basketball with my friend and co-movie producer, for $25 million less for the same 5 years. I would be on a 45 minute flight to my hometown, enjoying my extra money.

by FrankieJayIII on Jul 3, 2008 8:33 AM PDT 0 recs

Thanks for the support

I am glad I have a like minded W’s fan out there. I heard he is a high character guy and Brand wouldn’t do that. But come on, this guy can’t turn his nose up at $20-25 million. Plus I think peple forget, we only lost Baron, not any other big names. We re-sign our 2 studs (monte and andris) and we got a aplayoff team, Monte is getting better and Baron was good, but in another 2 years Monte will own him on the offensive end, if he doesn’t already. and we get a guard, like livingston to guard him on defense. Plus if it is the end of the year, Baron will be settling for 3’s anyways, so how hard is that to guard. We froget Baron didn’t quite quit on us last year, but he certainly stopped trying so hard.

by JacobMiller on Jul 3, 2008 10:09 AM PDT up 0 recs

...

I keep hearing that we offered Brand a max deal, but I haven’t seen one source confirm that we offered him 100 million. I’ve only seen 90 million. Do you have a source that says we offered him 100?

by Number22Drew on Jul 3, 2008 9:35 AM PDT 0 recs

KNBR said...

I heard on KNBR yesterday that had offered up to $100 M. Even if he was only offered $90 M (only?) he would still be $20 M over what the Clips can do inside the salary cap. If sterling matched our offer it would cost him as little as $40 M and as much as $60 M sepending on the report. He isn’t doing that, which means, even if your right and the W’s only offered $90 M he will still leave $20 M on the table, can you justify doing that for a title run with the CLIPPERS???!!?

by JacobMiller on Jul 3, 2008 10:02 AM PDT up 0 recs

Only problem

is that Brand found some success with Mags and Cassell couple of years back and went pretty deep into the playoffs. He probably feels that Baron + and improved Kaman gets him back there again.

He might not feel that the Dubz youngsters are ready to give him that shot.

by misterjennings on Jul 3, 2008 9:38 AM PDT 0 recs

only problem...

is that Brand is putting $25 M in a toilet if he goes back and “wins”. On a hunch that Baron stays healthy??! Baron’s best year was his year he was playing for a contract, last year!!! He is gonna fall into producer mode and hang with his hollwywood pals. Sure he’ll have moents of greatness, but by the end of the year he’ll be jacking up 3’s and failing to go to the hoop. If Baron went to the hoop for every # he settled on, he would be top 5 point guard ever!!! but he doesn’t, he settles rather than work hard for a hoop, a great player but flawed.and your asking Brand to give up $25 Million for that??!

by JacobMiller on Jul 3, 2008 9:58 AM PDT up 0 recs

Baron

will have an easier time getting to the rim with Brand running the pick and roll and Kaman to dump it down to also. Plus they also have guys over there who can spread the floor as well(Cat, Gordon, Thornton).

I actually think Baron will put up nice numbers since old man Cassell was able to in Dun Sr.’s system.

by misterjennings on Jul 3, 2008 1:45 PM PDT up 0 recs

I actually think Baron is going to have a harder time getting to the rim with Brand and Kaman clogging up the blocks. One reason he excelled in GS was because Nellie spread the floor so much (with Biedrins mainly diving and rolling).

Also, is there any way he gets along with Dunleavy? Any chance in hell?

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

this is hopefully a ploy

to work out a S/T for Baron w/ the Clippers so that Brand gets his money. Like the Sonics w/ Rashard Lewis, it’d be nice if the W’s could at least pick up a few 1st rounders. We could even take a flier on Deandre Jordan as a throw in if nellie & co. like his game.

by the evil monkey on Jul 3, 2008 9:48 AM PDT 0 recs

Barons stats will suffer

because they will not be playing in Nelleis system. Mike Dunleavy is a horrible coach and now he has coach killer on his team. Dunleavy’s days are numbered and Baron is going to suffer in a bump and grind half court game. I can already feel your pain misterjennings!

by smearthebeard on Jul 4, 2008 10:48 AM PDT 0 recs

like

others have stated, its going to be interesting to watch how Baron plays under Mr. Dunleavy’s system. Dunleavy is known to run a tight ship and you know how it went down for Baron over in New Orleans. If I were to guess, I’d say that Baron’s numbers drop back to his normal career averages with his assists going up a bit. But like others stated, the middle is much more clogged with actual post players in Brand and Kaman where as in Nellie’s system, the most important job of the 4 and 5 were to spread the floor. Whether or not Baron plays for the Warriors, I’m still going to be rooting for him and following his stat line for every game next season :P

by dandydaniel on Jul 6, 2008 11:13 PM PDT 0 recs