Some interesting news from behind the scenes.
I always knew there was something a little screwy about the lack of information emanating from Warriors Central in the days leading up to Baron Davis’ surprise decision last June to opt-out of the final season and $17.8M of his contract.
Not everything added up. The basic facts were there: The Warriors called Baron’s bluff, Baron turned over his card, then got the Clippers to ante up $65M over five years and took off.
But… there had to be other levels of discussion between Baron and the Warriors in late-June, didn’t there?
Turns out: Yes.
Multiple league sources have confirmed that, leading up to the opt-out deadline, Davis and Warriors chief Chris Mullin reached a tenative agreement–Davis would “opt-in” on his $17.8M for this season, then land a three-year, $39M extension ($13M per).
All money included, that would’ve given Baron $56.8M over four seasons, through the 2011-12 season. That was the deal. Both sides signed off, tenatively.
But for the offer to become official, it had to be approved by team president Robert Rowell, who speaks for owner Chris Cohan on all matters these days. (Rowell might as well be Cohan these days.)
And Rowell nixed it. Bye-bye Baron.
Now, I must add, that I agree with Rowell on this one–Baron is too injury-prone and too moody to reward him that kind of contract; as I said at the time, the only team dumb enough to pay him huge long-term money was the Clippers, and that’s where he ended up.
Plus, Baron wanted to get back to LA, so maybe this was the best thing for everybody… until Monta Ellis jumped on that mo-ped and wrecked his ankle and the first half of the Warriors season.
So it’s hard to say that this would’ve turned out any other way.
But this event tells you about the splitting inclinations of the Warriors front office of late. I’m not saying Rowell/Mullin is a fracture destined for a blow-up or even an actual problem. As of now.
I remain reasonably convinced that every front office has inherent tensions and that the Mullin/Warriors marriage logically should and will continue for many years beyond this season.
Still, with Mullin’s lame-duck contract status and with zero extension discussions… and with evidence beginning to arrive that the two might not always be on the same page (see also: Mullin and Nelson’s support of Ellis and Rowell’s silence about potential punishment)…
Just break down the BD situation:
* Mullin figured that Davis was too valuable to risk losing for nothing and that Davis might be savvy enough to craft a deal to go elsewhere;
* Rowell figured that Davis’ health didn’t augur for long-term value and that Davis probably wouldn’t opt-out, anyway.
End result: Davis left, the Warriors had to scramble to re-juggle their roster, Ellis got hurt, now the playoffs don’t seem like a likely possibility.
That has to make you think. I’m sure it has Mullin, Rowell, Nelson and a lot of people in those offices thinking.
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/kawaka...enative-39m-agreement-until-rowell-vetoed-it/
hopefully the warriors figure their shit out cus all 3 heads, Rowell/Mullin/Nelson all have to see eye to eye to be really successful.
I always knew there was something a little screwy about the lack of information emanating from Warriors Central in the days leading up to Baron Davis’ surprise decision last June to opt-out of the final season and $17.8M of his contract.
Not everything added up. The basic facts were there: The Warriors called Baron’s bluff, Baron turned over his card, then got the Clippers to ante up $65M over five years and took off.
But… there had to be other levels of discussion between Baron and the Warriors in late-June, didn’t there?
Turns out: Yes.
Multiple league sources have confirmed that, leading up to the opt-out deadline, Davis and Warriors chief Chris Mullin reached a tenative agreement–Davis would “opt-in” on his $17.8M for this season, then land a three-year, $39M extension ($13M per).
All money included, that would’ve given Baron $56.8M over four seasons, through the 2011-12 season. That was the deal. Both sides signed off, tenatively.
But for the offer to become official, it had to be approved by team president Robert Rowell, who speaks for owner Chris Cohan on all matters these days. (Rowell might as well be Cohan these days.)
And Rowell nixed it. Bye-bye Baron.
Now, I must add, that I agree with Rowell on this one–Baron is too injury-prone and too moody to reward him that kind of contract; as I said at the time, the only team dumb enough to pay him huge long-term money was the Clippers, and that’s where he ended up.
Plus, Baron wanted to get back to LA, so maybe this was the best thing for everybody… until Monta Ellis jumped on that mo-ped and wrecked his ankle and the first half of the Warriors season.
So it’s hard to say that this would’ve turned out any other way.
But this event tells you about the splitting inclinations of the Warriors front office of late. I’m not saying Rowell/Mullin is a fracture destined for a blow-up or even an actual problem. As of now.
I remain reasonably convinced that every front office has inherent tensions and that the Mullin/Warriors marriage logically should and will continue for many years beyond this season.
Still, with Mullin’s lame-duck contract status and with zero extension discussions… and with evidence beginning to arrive that the two might not always be on the same page (see also: Mullin and Nelson’s support of Ellis and Rowell’s silence about potential punishment)…
Just break down the BD situation:
* Mullin figured that Davis was too valuable to risk losing for nothing and that Davis might be savvy enough to craft a deal to go elsewhere;
* Rowell figured that Davis’ health didn’t augur for long-term value and that Davis probably wouldn’t opt-out, anyway.
End result: Davis left, the Warriors had to scramble to re-juggle their roster, Ellis got hurt, now the playoffs don’t seem like a likely possibility.
That has to make you think. I’m sure it has Mullin, Rowell, Nelson and a lot of people in those offices thinking.
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/kawaka...enative-39m-agreement-until-rowell-vetoed-it/
hopefully the warriors figure their shit out cus all 3 heads, Rowell/Mullin/Nelson all have to see eye to eye to be really successful.
