Brand betrays Baron Davis

by citizen zhiv on Jul 8, 2008 10:39 PM PDT

Oh well, back to the same old same old for the Clippers, although having Baron getting after it at Staples is going to be fun. The fact that a seeming solid citizen like Elton Brand would entice Baron Davis to come to LA and then bail just shows that the NBA is a business, and winning is a secondary consideration--not that that will surprise anyone. On a day like this, it's good to have Bruin tradition, values, and current excellence to fall back on. I watch the Clippers on TV, but I've been sitting in the same seat at Pauley for 40 years, and plan to be there for a long time yet to come.

For GSW Bruin fans, enjoy watching solid hoopster Corey Maggette. And with Baron we know we'll get his best effort. Hoop dreams die hard.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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To be fair

The Sixers probably have a better chance of winning than the Clippers. Even with Baron and Brand the Clippers would be woefully thin and still playing in the West. The Sixers will have more depth, are younger and play in the East.

by ryebreadraz on Jul 8, 2008 10:42 PM PDT 0 recs

Maggette is Gone, Too

According to fishwrap, Maggette is on his way to the Warriors.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Jul 9, 2008 10:20 AM PDT 0 recs

Good thing I like UCLA

Because if the Clippers were all I had for basketball, I might just stop watching the sport. I’m pretty sure next year’s Bruins might give these Clippers a run for their money.

by WestsideBrandon on Jul 9, 2008 11:29 AM PDT 0 recs

is anyone surprised...

brand is just another dirty dukie…he requests that the clippers pursue baron davis and opts out saying that he will take less money if they get baron…he tells fans at the last home game that he’s sorry for their pathetic performance and promises a great next season…the clippers offer more then originally promised and 1 million dollar less than philly but he spurns them…what a traitor…go get JOSH SMITH!

by eoj703 on Jul 9, 2008 4:42 PM PDT 0 recs

It sucks for Clippers fans...

...and I can understand some of the anger given that EB was not just the face of the franchise, but I have a couple of questions.

First, I know it’s been said a lot in the MSM that Brand engineered the BD move to LA b/c he wanted the Clips to get serious about winning and that he would stick around if BD came. But except for Plaschke asserting he knows this as fact from “sources” on Around the Horn, I haven’t heard anyone actually say Brand himself requested the BD pursuit (I’m somewhat inclined to believe that BD would opt out of his GSW deal w/ or w/o EB in LA b/c he’s an LA guy at heart and really wanted to come home).

Second, I don’t know too much about the NBA’s cap/luxury tax structure, or EB’s deal for that matter, but couldn’t this have been obviated by Sterling loosening the purse strings and offering EB more money?

Third, even if the money was equal, doesn’t going to Philly (which could easily be a playoff team in the woeful East) give him a better shot at a deep run in the playoffs than being a Clip (where the Clips are maybe the 8th or 9th team)?

Fourth, isn’t it kind of reasonable for a guy to want to escape a franchise that never really commits to building a team to win?

Just some questions from the outside looking in.

by norcald503 on Jul 9, 2008 7:43 PM PDT up 0 recs

To anser some of those...

Elton did say in the Trojan Times that he wanted to opt out to give the Clippers some room for a point guard. At that point, however, they were considering Beno Udrih or Jose Calderon, so I don’t think that FElton expected to have to tak that big of a pay cut. Getting around to that cold hard cash, the Clippers did end up making a deal worth around 81 mil (compared to 82 from Philly), but so-called superagent David Falk blocked that one out because by that time he was intent on screwing over the Clippers for allegedly talking straight to FElton. While he does have the chance to go farther in the East, he doesn’t have a better chance at winning a championship because Boston is still there and Detroit and Orlando aren’t far behind. In the west, the B. Diddy/ FElton combo would have probably put them in the 4-7 range and with some luck they would take out some quality teams early and have a similar road to the Finals as Philly. Lastly, DTS has opened his wallet up recently, but the basketball gods don’t forget the previous decade when he had that thing locked up. So the money is just sitting there, but nobody is biting. Hope that helps, even if from an obviously biased perspective.

by WestsideBrandon on Jul 9, 2008 11:57 PM PDT up 0 recs

From Painful, Recent Experience

Franchises (even after 41 years!) that seem to find ways to avoid building a winning team wind up getting sold to investment groups of forked-tongued devils wearing ugly hats, and then moved far, far away, like….Oklahoma City.

(Sigh)

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on Jul 10, 2008 1:24 PM PDT 0 recs

The one fault in American sports...

...is that basically ANY franchise can be picked up and moved (except for probably the Chicago Cubs, NY Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Green Bay Packers, simply for historical reasons).

It’s one of the reasons I love European football. There’d be riots in the streets of Manchester if the Glazers tried to pick up United and leave Old Trafford. Likewise, Barcelona would be in flames if they tried to pick up, leave the Nou Camp and run off for greener pastures. There’s loyalty and tradition in those clubs and the city they are in becomes a huge part of their identity (which is true to a lesser degree for the aforementioned American teams).

I could see an expansion team moving shortly after it set up, if the fan base turned out to be less than expected (like the Grizzlies). But, after 41 years? Well, that’s just kind of weak.

by norcald503 on Jul 10, 2008 3:12 PM PDT up 0 recs