Well, not really.
Tru Warier isn’t going anywhere. Neither is Shawn Marion.
But, in a surprise move, Baron Davis opted out today.
So did Elton Brand and Corey Maggette, but those were more expected. Brand is (publicly) still trying to re-sign long-term with the Clips, while Maggette will now be the biggest name free agent other than The Beard (I know…hard to believe).
There’s only one reason to remain a Clipper: Boat loads of greenbacks.
Antawn Jamison already re-signed with DC for 4-years/$50 million (though SI is reporting it as $44 million) after opting out earlier this Summer. So now that Gilbert’s hostage demands have theoretically been met, Wiz President Ernie Grunfield can move on to inking Hibachi. The current reported offer is 6 years/$100 million, which would be about a $20 million discount over 6 years from the max. Jamison expects that Gil may take a little less now that his partner-in-crime has been taken care of.
“I just signed. We got it out of the way,” Jamison told The Associated Press.
“He said he’d take less money if they got me, and they got me,” Jamison said. “So I think everything will get worked out with Gilbert.”
$11–12.5 million per is quite a price-tag for the 32-year-old, creaky kneed Jamison, but he is coming off a 79-game All Star season and I guess you gotta do what you gotta do to keep fan-favorite and franchise reinvigorater Agent Zero on the roster — even if Arenas’ own knees have become questions marks themselves (not literally, jackass).
So maybe Baron saw Arenas-sized dollar signs in his head and rethought his strategy?
Either way, it will be interesting to see what happens now that he turned down his final year at $17 million. No one on the open market can give him that much aside from a sign-and-trade. Does he go to Detroit for the Chauncey Billups/Sheed package? Does he end up in South Beach for Marion? Or just re-sign long-term back with Mully, Nellie and Co. in Golden State? The rumor mill is claiming that Baron opted out because they couldn’t reach an agreement on an long-term extension, so going back to GState might be less likely now. Other rumors point to the Lakers, although all of these could just be complete shenanigans.
Who knows really?
Regardless, the free agent market just went from complete trash to “Hey, wait a minute.” It will at least be interesting to see where the next domino falls. Also, it should be good to see what Bulls GM John Paxson and new Coach Vinny of the Black decide to do with Deng, Gordon, et al. I mean, you know they’re gonna screw it up…But how?
“There are two kinds of people in this world that go around beardless — boys and women — and I am neither one.” – traditional Greek saying
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I agreed with you