SFC/Jenkins: Hollywood won't happen for Davis

SFGate
Hollywood won't happen for Davis
Bruce Jenkins
Sunday, April 27, 2008


There are times when you'd love to know what Baron Davis is thinking.
This is one of the most willful, high-profile players in the NBA, and
he can be properly forthright with the media, but you always sense
he's holding back a little, saving his most incisive thoughts for the
select company of his inner circle.

As he watches the playoffs, for instance, does he entertain any notion
of playing elsewhere?

He's got the card, if he wants to play it. Davis can opt out of the
final season of his Warriors contract, leaving behind some $17 million
in the process, and become an unrestricted free agent. It seems
logical that he'd press for a multi-year deal, but vice president
Chris Mullin has left every indication of dismissing such a request -
and rightly so. It would be foolish and unrealistic to expect Davis,
in his early 30s, to play several injury-free seasons in peak form.

Put aside the likely scenario of Davis playing another season with the
Warriors, then checking the market for a career-finishing deal. What
if he's feeling the wanderlust right now? You figure he'd be after two
things: a team more likely to succeed than the Warriors and close
proximity to the rich, celebrity-laden life he has enjoyed for so many
years.

Just for the sake of argument, forget salary-cap considerations and
view it strictly from a basketball sense. The man's options are
startlingly bleak.

First, all the teams he can rule out:

-- That annoying collection of mediocre (or worse) teams in the
Eastern Conference. At this stage of his life, Davis isn't leaving
California for any franchise without title hopes - including the New
York Knicks. Davis' act would play handsomely in that town (there's an
awful lot of Walt Frazier in him), but the horribly mismanaged
franchise is years away from contention.

-- Potentially intriguing Eastern teams such as the 76ers (Andre
Miller mans the point), Pistons (Chauncey Billups), Wizards (too many
knuckleheads who want the ball) and Celtics, who wouldn't dare mess
with their admirable chemistry.

-- The dregs of the Western Conference: Seattle, Minnesota, Memphis
and Sacramento.

-- The L.A. angle. This is huge for Davis, who would love to finish
his career in his home town, but there's no way he'd be serious about
the Clippers. They're an eternal joke. Davis knows too well that as
soon as a Clippers game ends at Staples Center, it's only a matter of
time before they clear out the rubble and make way for the real L.A.
team - especially next year. The Lakers could actually use a superstar
at the point, but Davis represents too much personality to lay on Kobe
Bryant. And they both know it.

-- The rest of the West. Whether it's because of a solid point guard
or a finisher at crunch time, Davis would find obstacles in Denver,
Utah, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, New Orleans and Phoenix. In
Portland, where management seems to be building a powerhouse, Brandon
Roy is the point guard of the future.

That leaves just two teams: Orlando, where Dwight Howard could really
use someone like Davis, and Cleveland, where LeBron James would
probably give up half his salary for such a luxury. Then again, here
are two cities with absolutely zero going on, at least by Baron's
standards. He'd also be the No. 2 attraction behind either of those
great young stars, with only feint hopes of earning a championship
ring.

I'd put money on Davis returning to the Warriors without envy,
bitterness or resignation. Not that he'd tell us about, anyway.

Suns setting fast

There's a bottom-line aspect to the Phoenix-San Antonio series, and
that's the overall superiority of the Spurs. It wouldn't matter if the
Suns had Shawn Marion, Kurt Thomas and a healthy Grant Hill. They
don't have anything close to the Spurs' coaching, go-to options (at
least five very good ones) or defensive mind-set. The Spurs' only real
question was age-related fatigue, and so far, they have looked
unbeatably fresh.

Not that any such reality appeases an angry fan base in Phoenix. The
Shaquille O'Neal trade not only backfired, it put the Suns in a salary-
cap hole for next year. Coach Mike D'Antoni may have been assigned the
unfair burden of adjusting to Shaq on the fly, but how could he claim
to be baffled by the Spurs' 3-0 edge in the series? (It's no mystery
at all to general manager Steve Kerr: "It's the defense.")

The Suns have a long road back to elite-caliber ball, but they should
pay serious attention to a recent comment by the Celtics' Kevin
Garnett. "We have a no-layup policy," he said. "And if you do come in
there, you pay a price."

Random thoughts

Chris Paul has been nothing short of a revelation in just his third
year, prompting many to ask: Outside of Magic Johnson, when has a
young point guard been so influential, so soon? Perhaps they're
forgetting Oscar Robertson, who in just his second season (for
Cincinnati, 1961-62) averaged a triple-double. In his third season, he
willed Cincinnati into a seventh game of the Eastern finals against
the most star-laden team in NBA history (when Bill Russell's Boston
Celtics had Bob Cousy and John Havlicek). By Robertson's fourth year,
in a world revolving around Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, he was MVP
of the league. ... It's bothersome to think that if Davis left the
Warriors, or got less playing time to save his body, it would become
Monta Ellis' team. Make no mistake, Ellis is sensational, one of the
quickest and most entertaining players in recent history. But he's
very young, not even close to Davis as a leader. Just can't see him
staring down the league's elite at crunch time, night after night. ...
Good stuff from Dirk Nowitzki, basically saving Dallas' season with 32
points and 19 rebounds in Game 3 against New Orleans. Nowitzki might
not be a scrapper, but he plays hurt, takes a nightly pounding and
never shies away from the big shot. Avery Johnson needs more of that
if he hopes to keep his job.

Rasheed Wallace set the tone for Detroit's malaise, whimsically
eavesdropping on the 76ers' huddle in the final minute of Game 1.
That's right before Wallace missed a 4-footer that would have tied it.
That team isn't good enough to just turn it on at will, and when
Rasheed's off-kilter, professionalism is just a rumor. ... Can't wait
to see LeBron silence the annoying DeShawn Stevenson for the summer.
It's coming. Stevenson just doesn't know when. ... That series would
be ending today if Cleveland had anything close to a team. Wow, that
was a bad trade - at the time, and especially now. ... That's class:
All season, Garnett has insisted that Paul Pierce be the last Celtic
to take the floor during pregame introductions. And when he's asked to
participate in a postgame news conference, Garnett invariably brings a
teammate with him. ... Scene from late last spring: Bryant does a top-
to-bottom rip job on the Lakers' organization, stamping GM Mitch
Kupchak as the lamest guy in town. Danny Ainge, pre-deals, is fending
off savage criticism on the Boston talk shows. Find me somebody who,
right then, targeted those two as leading candidates for 2008
Executive of the Year.

E-mail Bruce Jenkins at [email]bjenkins@sfchronicle.com[/email].

[url]http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/27/SPDE10BKT6.DTL[/url]

This article appeared on page D - 7 of the San Francisco Chronicle

On Apr 29, 9:00 am, Allen <lonewolfb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> SFGate
> Hollywood won't happen for Davis
> Bruce Jenkins
> Sunday, April 27, 2008
>
> There are times when you'd love to know what Baron Davis is thinking.
> This is one of the most willful, high-profile players in the NBA, and
> he can be properly forthright with the media, but you always sense
> he's holding back a little, saving his most incisive thoughts for the
> select company of his inner circle.
>
> As he watches the playoffs, for instance, does he entertain any notion
> of playing elsewhere?
>
> He's got the card, if he wants to play it. Davis can opt out of the
> final season of his Warriors contract, leaving behind some $17 million
> in the process, and become an unrestricted free agent. It seems
> logical that he'd press for a multi-year deal, but vice president
> Chris Mullin has left every indication of dismissing such a request -
> and rightly so. It would be foolish and unrealistic to expect Davis,
> in his early 30s, to play several injury-free seasons in peak form.
>
> Put aside the likely scenario of Davis playing another season with the
> Warriors, then checking the market for a career-finishing deal. What
> if he's feeling the wanderlust right now? You figure he'd be after two
> things: a team more likely to succeed than the Warriors and close
> proximity to the rich, celebrity-laden life he has enjoyed for so many
> years.
>
> Just for the sake of argument, forget salary-cap considerations and
> view it strictly from a basketball sense. The man's options are
> startlingly bleak.
>
> First, all the teams he can rule out:
>
> -- That annoying collection of mediocre (or worse) teams in the
> Eastern Conference. At this stage of his life, Davis isn't leaving
> California for any franchise without title hopes - including the New
> York Knicks. Davis' act would play handsomely in that town (there's an
> awful lot of Walt Frazier in him), but the horribly mismanaged
> franchise is years away from contention.
>
> -- Potentially intriguing Eastern teams such as the 76ers (Andre
> Miller mans the point), Pistons (Chauncey Billups), Wizards (too many
> knuckleheads who want the ball) and Celtics, who wouldn't dare mess
> with their admirable chemistry.
>
> -- The dregs of the Western Conference: Seattle, Minnesota, Memphis
> and Sacramento.
>
> -- The L.A. angle. This is huge for Davis, who would love to finish
> his career in his home town, but there's no way he'd be serious about
> the Clippers. They're an eternal joke. Davis knows too well that as
> soon as a Clippers game ends at Staples Center, it's only a matter of
> time before they clear out the rubble and make way for the real L.A.
> team - especially next year. The Lakers could actually use a superstar
> at the point, but Davis represents too much personality to lay on Kobe
> Bryant. And they both know it.
>
> -- The rest of the West. Whether it's because of a solid point guard
> or a finisher at crunch time, Davis would find obstacles in Denver,
> Utah, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, New Orleans and Phoenix. In
> Portland, where management seems to be building a powerhouse, Brandon
> Roy is the point guard of the future.


BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ


Brandon Roy is a SG and a damn good one. Steve Blake and Jarrett Jack
share duties at the PG position. They are in need of ,and can afford
an upgrade. Jenkins needs to do some homework. Envisioning a Davis,
Roy, Jones, LMA and Oden starting 5 in the PDX is scary..... I've
also heard that Baron will opt out this summer to see what he can drum
up in the market. His stock is up regardless of what Jenkins says, he
had career numbers and played 82 games and was a choir boy who led his
team to 48 wins, didn't fight with the coach publicly after a
benching. I don't think BD will be back.

Rizzo

Frank Rizzo <champ91917@yahoo.com> wrote in news:025912ec-fa45-4dba-a645-
[email]67709bc0f1ef@q27g2000prf.googlegroups.com[/email]:

> Roy, Jones, LMA and Oden starting 5 in the PDX is scary..... I've
> also heard that Baron will opt out this summer to see what he can drum
> up in the market. His stock is up regardless of what Jenkins says, he
> had career numbers and played 82 games and was a choir boy who led his
> team to 48 wins, didn't fight with the coach publicly after a
> benching. I don't think BD will be back.
>

In that case, maybe we can work another deal with NO to get their PG. I
hope, I hope. (<;

[For the humor impaired: I'm kidding.]

--

Pat

email: remove UN

On Apr 30, 8:05 am, Phantom Post <patri...@myUNrealbox.com> wrote:
> Frank Rizzo <champ91...@yahoo.com> wrote in news:025912ec-fa45-4dba-a645-
> 67709bc0f...@q27g2000prf.googlegroups.com:
>
> > Roy, Jones, LMA and Oden starting 5 in the PDX is scary..... I've
> > also heard that Baron will opt out this summer to see what he can drum
> > up in the market. His stock is up regardless of what Jenkins says, he
> > had career numbers and played 82 games and was a choir boy who led his
> > team to 48 wins, didn't fight with the coach publicly after a
> > benching. I don't think BD will be back.
>
> In that case, maybe we can work another deal with NO to get their PG. I
> hope, I hope. (<;
>
> [For the humor impaired: I'm kidding.]
>
> --
>
> Pat
>
> email: remove UN

That's pretty funny. I'm actually partial to Utah's PG who is just as
available as CP3..

Rizzo

"Frank Rizzo" <champ91917@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5745c860-8644-43de-9b14-a969dd90aea0@p25g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
> On Apr 30, 8:05 am, Phantom Post <patri...@myUNrealbox.com> wrote:
>> Frank Rizzo <champ91...@yahoo.com> wrote in news:025912ec-fa45-4dba-a645-
>> 67709bc0f...@q27g2000prf.googlegroups.com:
>>
>> > Roy, Jones, LMA and Oden starting 5 in the PDX is scary..... I've
>> > also heard that Baron will opt out this summer to see what he can drum
>> > up in the market. His stock is up regardless of what Jenkins says, he
>> > had career numbers and played 82 games and was a choir boy

Cost the Warriors two games with his partying? No chior boy to me, cant
have that from your team leader. Fuck Him

who led his
>> > team to 48 wins, didn't fight with the coach publicly after a
>> > benching. I don't think BD will be back.

Good Rinddance can he take WowA Nellie with him?

Avery Johnson is available!!

>>
>> In that case, maybe we can work another deal with NO to get their PG. I
>> hope, I hope. (<;
>>
>> [For the humor impaired: I'm kidding.]
>>
>> --
>>
>> Pat
>>
>> email: remove UN
>
> That's pretty funny. I'm actually partial to Utah's PG who is just as
> available as CP3..
Seriously how about Luke Ridenour or is he just two small and weak to play
along Monta?

Frank Rizzo <champ91917@yahoo.com> wrote in news:5745c860-8644-43de-9b14-
[email]a969dd90aea0@p25g2000pri.googlegroups.com[/email]:

> That's pretty funny. I'm actually partial to Utah's PG who is just as
> available as CP3..
>
>

On second thought, though, could either of those guys fit in Nellie's
"system"? We better pass on those two.

--

Pat

email: remove UN

On Apr 30, 3:41 pm, "Kevsan AKA KJHanz" <sl...@willy.net> wrote:
> "Frank Rizzo" <champ91...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> news:5745c860-8644-43de-9b14-a969dd90aea0@p25g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
>
> > On Apr 30, 8:05 am, Phantom Post <patri...@myUNrealbox.com> wrote:
> >> Frank Rizzo <champ91...@yahoo.com> wrote in news:025912ec-fa45-4dba-a645-
> >> 67709bc0f...@q27g2000prf.googlegroups.com:
>
> >> > Roy, Jones, LMA and Oden starting 5 in the PDX is scary..... I've
> >> > also heard that Baron will opt out this summer to see what he can drum
> >> > up in the market. His stock is up regardless of what Jenkins says, he
> >> > had career numbers and played 82 games and was a choir boy
>
> Cost the Warriors two games with his partying? No chior boy to me, cant
> have that from your team leader. Fuck Him
>
> who led his
>
> >> > team to 48 wins, didn't fight with the coach publicly after a
> >> > benching. I don't think BD will be back.
>
> Good Rinddance can he take WowA Nellie with him?
>
> Avery Johnson is available!!
>
>
>
> >> In that case, maybe we can work another deal with NO to get their PG. I
> >> hope, I hope. (<;
>
> >> [For the humor impaired: I'm kidding.]
>
> >> --
>
> >> Pat
>
> >> email: remove UN
>
> > That's pretty funny. I'm actually partial to Utah's PG who is just as
> > available as CP3..
>
> Seriously how about Luke Ridenour or is he just two small and weak to play
> along Monta?

Seriously, all of a sudden Davis is the only guy who parties in the
NBA the night before a game? Get real. Born yesterday?

On Apr 30, 10:41 pm, Frank Rizzo <champ91...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Apr 30, 3:41 pm, "Kevsan AKA KJHanz" <sl...@willy.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> > "Frank Rizzo" <champ91...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> >news:5745c860-8644-43de-9b14-a969dd90aea0@p25g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
>
> > > On Apr 30, 8:05 am, Phantom Post <patri...@myUNrealbox.com> wrote:
> > >> Frank Rizzo <champ91...@yahoo.com> wrote in news:025912ec-fa45-4dba-a645-
> > >> 67709bc0f...@q27g2000prf.googlegroups.com:
>
> > >> > Roy, Jones, LMA and Oden starting 5 in the PDX is scary..... I've
> > >> > also heard that Baron will opt out this summer to see what he can drum
> > >> > up in the market. His stock is up regardless of what Jenkins says, he
> > >> > had career numbers and played 82 games and was a choir boy
>
> > Cost the Warriors two games with his partying? No chior boy to me, cant
> > have that from your team leader. Fuck Him
>
> > who led his
>
> > >> > team to 48 wins, didn't fight with the coach publicly after a
> > >> > benching. I don't think BD will be back.
>
> > Good Rinddance can he take WowA Nellie with him?
>
> > Avery Johnson is available!!
>
> > >> In that case, maybe we can work another deal with NO to get their PG. I
> > >> hope, I hope. (<;
>
> > >> [For the humor impaired: I'm kidding.]
>
> > >> --
>
> > >> Pat
>
> > >> email: remove UN
>
> > > That's pretty funny. I'm actually partial to Utah's PG who is just as
> > > available as CP3..
>
> > Seriously how about Luke Ridenour or is he just two small and weak to play
> > along Monta?
>
> Seriously, all of a sudden Davis is the only guy who parties in the
> NBA the night before a game? Get real. Born yesterday?

We should trade for Josh Howard, then we could be sure that our guys
will party hard before every key game. Davis alone just doesn't
provide enough leadership in this area. Maybe we could place several
players on the all hang-over squad. Everyone would want to come to
Golden State for the Tylenol promotional contracts.

Dean

On May 1, 11:04 am, cityofind <cityof...@aol.com> wrote:
> On Apr 30, 10:41 pm, Frank Rizzo <champ91...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Apr 30, 3:41 pm, "Kevsan AKA KJHanz" <sl...@willy.net> wrote:
>
> > > "Frank Rizzo" <champ91...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> > >news:5745c860-8644-43de-9b14-a969dd90aea0@p25g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
>
> > > > On Apr 30, 8:05 am, Phantom Post <patri...@myUNrealbox.com> wrote:
> > > >> Frank Rizzo <champ91...@yahoo.com> wrote in news:025912ec-fa45-4dba-a645-
> > > >> 67709bc0f...@q27g2000prf.googlegroups.com:
>
> > > >> > Roy, Jones, LMA and Oden starting 5 in the PDX is scary..... I've
> > > >> > also heard that Baron will opt out this summer to see what he can drum
> > > >> > up in the market. His stock is up regardless of what Jenkins says, he
> > > >> > had career numbers and played 82 games and was a choir boy
>
> > > Cost the Warriors two games with his partying? No chior boy to me, cant
> > > have that from your team leader. Fuck Him
>
> > > who led his
>
> > > >> > team to 48 wins, didn't fight with the coach publicly after a
> > > >> > benching. I don't think BD will be back.
>
> > > Good Rinddance can he take WowA Nellie with him?
>
> > > Avery Johnson is available!!
>
> > > >> In that case, maybe we can work another deal with NO to get their PG. I
> > > >> hope, I hope. (<;
>
> > > >> [For the humor impaired: I'm kidding.]
>
> > > >> --
>
> > > >> Pat
>
> > > >> email: remove UN
>
> > > > That's pretty funny. I'm actually partial to Utah's PG who is just as
> > > > available as CP3..
>
> > > Seriously how about Luke Ridenour or is he just two small and weak to play
> > > along Monta?
>
> > Seriously, all of a sudden Davis is the only guy who parties in the
> > NBA the night before a game? Get real. Born yesterday?
>
> We should trade for Josh Howard, then we could be sure that our guys
> will party hard before every key game. Davis alone just doesn't
> provide enough leadership in this area. Maybe we could place several
> players on the all hang-over squad. Everyone would want to come to
> Golden State for the Tylenol promotional contracts.
>
> Dean



By that idiot Kev's logic, all these guys should be cut..I'm guessing
Nash isn't sober here.

[url]http://drunkathlete.com/2006/05/22/steve-nash-drunk.aspx[/url]

Or here, with Dirk

[url]http://drunkathlete.com/2006/04/13/dirk-nowitzki-and-steve-nash.aspx[/url]

Oh, here's Bosh, Ford and Bargnani partying on New Year's Eve

[url]http://drunkathlete.com/2007/02/26/bosh-bargnani-and-ford-know-how-to-party.aspx[/url]

Josh Howard, stoner, but an all-star...Partying here

[url]http://drunkathlete.com/2007/03/31/josh-howard-having-way-too-much-fun.aspx[/url]

Ahem, perhaps the Bulls should have cut Michael....he likes to party

[url]http://drunkathlete.com/2007/04/23/mike-mexico.aspx[/url]

Pretend you're 20 something with 5-50 million in the bank. Would you
have a good time?

Rizzo

"Frank Rizzo" <champ91917@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:274fb52c-fb70-4653-ad3b-4ecf6bb783f4@b5g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
> On May 1, 11:04 am, cityofind <cityof...@aol.com> wrote:
>> On Apr 30, 10:41 pm, Frank Rizzo <champ91...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> > On Apr 30, 3:41 pm, "Kevsan AKA KJHanz" <sl...@willy.net> wrote:
>>
>> > > "Frank Rizzo" <champ91...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>
>> > >news:5745c860-8644-43de-9b14-a969dd90aea0@p25g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
>>
>> > > > On Apr 30, 8:05 am, Phantom Post <patri...@myUNrealbox.com> wrote:
>> > > >> Frank Rizzo <champ91...@yahoo.com> wrote in
>> > > >> news:025912ec-fa45-4dba-a645-
>> > > >> 67709bc0f...@q27g2000prf.googlegroups.com:
>>
>> > > >> > Roy, Jones, LMA and Oden starting 5 in the PDX is scary.....
>> > > >> > I've
>> > > >> > also heard that Baron will opt out this summer to see what he
>> > > >> > can drum
>> > > >> > up in the market. His stock is up regardless of what Jenkins
>> > > >> > says, he
>> > > >> > had career numbers and played 82 games and was a choir boy
>>
>> > > Cost the Warriors two games with his partying? No chior boy to me,
>> > > cant
>> > > have that from your team leader. Fuck Him
>>
>> > > who led his
>>
>> > > >> > team to 48 wins, didn't fight with the coach publicly after a
>> > > >> > benching. I don't think BD will be back.
>>
>> > > Good Rinddance can he take WowA Nellie with him?
>>
>> > > Avery Johnson is available!!
>>
>> > > >> In that case, maybe we can work another deal with NO to get their
>> > > >> PG. I
>> > > >> hope, I hope. (<;
>>
>> > > >> [For the humor impaired: I'm kidding.]
>>
>> > > >> --
>>
>> > > >> Pat
>>
>> > > >> email: remove UN
>>
>> > > > That's pretty funny. I'm actually partial to Utah's PG who is just
>> > > > as
>> > > > available as CP3..
>>
>> > > Seriously how about Luke Ridenour or is he just two small and weak to
>> > > play
>> > > along Monta?
>>
>> > Seriously, all of a sudden Davis is the only guy who parties in the
>> > NBA the night before a game? Get real. Born yesterday?
>>
>> We should trade for Josh Howard, then we could be sure that our guys
>> will party hard before every key game. Davis alone just doesn't
>> provide enough leadership in this area. Maybe we could place several
>> players on the all hang-over squad. Everyone would want to come to
>> Golden State for the Tylenol promotional contracts.
>>
>> Dean
>
>
>
> By that idiot Kev's logic, all these guys should be cut..I'm guessing
> Nash isn't sober here.
You are so right, fuck the NBA cut em all.!!! No wait fuck you! No Im sure
Davis is not the only guy who parties in the NBA,
does that make it right? The real idiots are those amoung us who buy season
tickets, merchandise and invest their time in following these
spoiled gang bangers. Baron Davis has not acomplished anything in his career
IMO, so he doenst get a pass for his actions.
KjH