Playing with Fire?
By Marcus
Saturday, May 10th, 2008 a
According to a source with knowledge of extension negotiations between
Baron
Davis and Warriors management, the Warriors are playing hardball with
their
star point guard. President Rowell and VP Mullin came at Baron with an
"insulting" offer - so much so that B. Diddy is questioning whether the
Warriors view him as their franchise player.
Tough negotiating is hardly a bad ploy, especially considering the
Warriors'
history of fiscal irresponsibility. But there is a time and place for it,
and this may not be the time. It was last offseason, when Don Nelson and
Mickael Pietreus were looking for too much icing on their cake. But now
might be a bad time for Warriors management to throw around its weight.
Why? Because Baron, the team's best player, had already issued the first
peace offering. Instead of threatening to opt out, instead of seeing which
desiring team he could use to sweeten his deal, Baron bowed down. He said
he
wanted to stay a Warrior and he wasn't going to demand a ridiculous amount
of money. He conceded his leverage. Even if he recognized he had very
little, it was a relatively commendable gesture because he made himself
vulnerable by voluntarily setting aside his options.
The proper response to that is not to stick it to him, or make him think
you
are sticking it to him. Sure, get the best deal for the team, but don't
make
him regret throwing himself at the mercy of the execs.
Why not, you say?
.. The Warriors need Baron. Losing him means starting over, it means
getting
back in the skimpy market for a proven frontline NBA star, a franchise
player. Even if you are of the belief that Monta is Baron's replacement
(which I am not, especially not yet), then the Warriors will be needing a
No. 2 or No. 3 star, which is also hard to coup. Plus, he's the reason
guys
like Al and Jax, and anyother player with the Warriors
on their short list is Baron.
.. The Warriors will be sending a bad message to players, future and
current.
In less than a year, three players have voiced their disapproval with how
they were treated by management (Jason Richardson, Mickael Pietrus and
Matt
Barnes). That's not a good way to land a top motivated talent, which the
Warriors will need to do. Players won't want to come if the Warriors are
not
shelling out big money and have a rep - justified or not - for lowballing.
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