tk:
I do think that - by Dunleavy and the Clips bypassing Falk and going directly to Brand - they left themselves open to be played...and that is nobody's fault but theirs. They also should have studied up on their history (Brand's offer sheet with the Heat), and once Elton opted out, they needed to come to the table STRONG...and they didn't.
Are some of the comments from Brand and Falk self-serving? Of course. But if the Clips would have come to Brand with either 1) a $75-80 million offer right out of the chute, or 2) clear communication - right fron the start - that they would do whatever it took to keep him, then Stefanski may have never had a chance to get into the game.
Shame on them...and good for us.