Elgin Baylor resigns

[jemagee]

NOW?

After all  those years and embarassments running the clippers with Sterling running the team as the most profitable (but worst on the court) team in the league, he quits?

I WANT THE TRUTH

[westkoast]

How much blame falls on Baylor and how much falls on Sterling for the Clippers woes?  I believe that Baylor has caught some bad breaks, made some bad decisions, and had a bad boss.

Bad breaks - Elton Brand telling Baylor and the Clippers he wanted to stay a Clipper but then bolting to Philly for a number of reasons comes to mind. The bad break with Shaun Livingston was another.

Bad decisions - Darius Miles I think was a bad decision because he never panned out for the Clippers.  I also think a lot was banked on Chris Kaman and he is not quite the player the Clippers wished for.

Bad boss - This is will documented.  Type his name into Google and see what happens when people speak about him.  This guy really tied Baylor and the whole organizations hands behind their back with some of his decisions.  Al Davis and Sterling are similar in that they both hurt the franchise they own by toying around with "building" the team. The only difference is Sterling is doing it clearly to maximize profits.  Al Davis actually believes that what he does is going to win a championship.

[jemagee]

I've always felt Baylor was a quality Exec who was screwed by his owner and admired his comittment to such a poorly run (in terms of winning) franchise.  He made the Elton Brand move - could you imagine if the Bulls could take that move back.

I've read interviews with Kaman, I think a little more Ritalin or Adderall would help the dude tons (and go back to hiding your face with the hair, you are one ugly son of a gun)

Wasn't one of the major concerns about livingston before he was drafted the durability issue?  I remember hearing he had magic like ability but he was twig like.

I  have always been a 'fan' of Elgin Baylor and to seem him resign like this, unexpectedly, it just smells fishy right now, I mean I know they make a lot of money, but I bet he makes less than the 'average' VP in the NBA and is walking away from some of that money.

It just smells fishy to me.

I think David Sterns second big wish (after the dolans bailing out of New York) would be for Sterling to sell out...to someone comitted to spending - it's probably some sort of wet dream to create two great franchises in LA...then again, after I think about it...maybe it's 3rd after getting the Nets to New York and having two competetive franchises in New York and then LA

[jemagee]

According to an ESPN report this morning, Baylor was told he can keep his money and title, but he'd have no responsibility or power...I still want to know what he did to deserve this...

[Lurker]

According to an ESPN report this morning, Baylor was told he can keep his money and title, but he'd have no responsibility or power...I still want to know what he did to deserve this...

He lost Brand.

[Ted]

He lost Brand.

No, he trusted Brand.

[jn]

Wasn't David Falk involved in the Brand situation?   The Clippers organization vs Falk is an uneven matchup.

[westkoast]

He lost Brand.

No, he trusted Brand.

That's exactly what happened.  The local sports radio station in LA interviewed Baylor in the off season about Brand and Livingston.  I kid you not up until like a week before the deal leaked out everyone thought Brand was going to stay.  He told the media he wanted to stay.  In meetings he told the organization he wanted to stay.  There was really no indication he wanted out.  He trusted Brand's word.

[Ted]

Here's the story as I understand it:

1. Brand asks Clips to bring in some help. Baron Davis is one name on the list Brand gives the Clips.
2. Clippers bring in Baron Davis.
3. Brand, Baylor, and Dunleavy make a handshake agreement to extend. Brand says publicly he plans to stay a Clipper.
4. Falk, pissed off at being left out of the talks, starts shopping Brand aggressively.
5. Falk starts poisoning Brand toward the Clips.
6. Brand signs with the Sixers for slightly more money without giving Clips a chance to bump their offer to match.
7. Mike Dunleavy blasts Brand.
8. David Falk lies.
9. Brand goes to playoffs with Philly, losing to Boston in the conference finals.  

[Ted]

He trusted Brand's word.

Yeah, what is it with Duke power forwards keeping their word? Careful Sixers, the Jazz may be on the verge of paying the piper for signing Boozer. You may regret signing a power forward with no integrity, too.

[westkoast]

Here's the story as I understand it:

1. Brand asks Clips to bring in some help. Baron Davis is one name on the list Brand gives the Clips.
2. Clippers bring in Baron Davis.
3. Brand, Baylor, and Dunleavy make a handshake agreement to extend. Brand says publicly he plans to stay a Clipper.
4. Falk, pissed off at being left out of the talks, starts shopping Brand aggressively.
5. Falk starts poisoning Brand toward the Clips.
6. Brand signs with the Sixers for slightly more money without giving Clips a chance to bump their offer to match.
7. Mike Dunleavy blasts Brand.
8. David Falk lies.
9. Brand goes to playoffs with Philly, losing to Boston in the conference finals.  

Dead on except the last part.  They are going to be bounced by Miami

[jemagee]

He trusted Brand's word.

Yeah, what is it with Duke power forwards keeping their word? Careful Sixers, the Jazz may be on the verge of paying the piper for signing Boozer. You may regret signing a power forward with no integrity, too.

The Jazz gave Boozer the option to opt out of his contract, 'paying the piper'?  It's a business, if Boozer thinks he can earn more money on the open market...then he has the right to, the Jazz have the right to be in the bidding to keep him.  I love how it's ALWAYS on the players when they seek out best deal....the teams put themselves into position, and teams don't keep their words either, we all know that, but no one ever calls them out on it.

As for the Brand situation, I think everyone ignore the power of a wife, a mother, and the arrival of their first child and how the pull of home gets stronger as the arrival of that child is born.  Brand had also said as much as a year ago that he wouldn't mind playing in Philadelphia.  Philadelphia offered more money.  The clippers made an offer and said 'that's all we can afford' - and then suddenly when there was another player in the mix, offering more money and the clippers magically found more money to offer Elton Brand.

I'm not saying Brand is blameless in this, but the Clippers have no one to blame but themselves and the relative cheapness of Donald Sterling...he took a risk lowballing Brand relative to what they could pay him, the sixers made a move to create enough cap room to make a competitive offer and then instead of negotiating the clippers (per usual for a cluster frack of an organization) and acted like petulant children.

The clippers are as much to blame for Elton Brand not being in Clipperland any more as Elton Brand is.  Mike Dunleavy shouldn't be running a basketball franchise anyway, and after the poor treatment of Elgin Baylor I hope the clippers somehow become a laughing stock on and off the court in terms of the financial success of the franchise, cause it couldn't happen to a nicer backstabbing mean owner than Donald Sterling.

[Reality]

I'm not saying Brand is blameless in this, but the Clippers have no one to blame but themselves and the relative cheapness of Donald Sterling...he took a risk lowballing Brand relative to what they could pay him, the sixers made a move to create enough cap room to make a competitive offer and then instead of negotiating the clippers (per usual for a cluster frack of an organization) and acted like petulant children. 

Or did Brand tell Baylor and  the Clips he would accept the **lower** offer (it kills me to call 12 million a year for 6 years "low") so they could sign Davis and  then more talent after that.  You know, because Brand and other NBA players, esp multimillionare vets just want to win a title. 
Westkoast you have been keeping up with the radio interviews, what say ye about this?

[jemagee]

I listen to west coast radio as well, the clippers said they offered brand 'all they could' while still signing davis, but magically when the sixers topped that offer they found more money to offer brand.

[Ted]

He trusted Brand's word.

Yeah, what is it with Duke power forwards keeping their word? Careful Sixers, the Jazz may be on the verge of paying the piper for signing Boozer. You may regret signing a power forward with no integrity, too.

The Jazz gave Boozer the option to opt out of his contract, 'paying the piper'?  It's a business, if Boozer thinks he can earn more money on the open market...then he has the right to, the Jazz have the right to be in the bidding to keep him.  I love how it's ALWAYS on the players when they seek out best deal....the teams put themselves into position, and teams don't keep their words either, we all know that, but no one ever calls them out on it.

As for the Brand situation, I think everyone ignore the power of a wife, a mother, and the arrival of their first child and how the pull of home gets stronger as the arrival of that child is born.  Brand had also said as much as a year ago that he wouldn't mind playing in Philadelphia.  Philadelphia offered more money.  The clippers made an offer and said 'that's all we can afford' - and then suddenly when there was another player in the mix, offering more money and the clippers magically found more money to offer Elton Brand.

I'm not saying Brand is blameless in this, but the Clippers have no one to blame but themselves and the relative cheapness of Donald Sterling...he took a risk lowballing Brand relative to what they could pay him, the sixers made a move to create enough cap room to make a competitive offer and then instead of negotiating the clippers (per usual for a cluster frack of an organization) and acted like petulant children.

The clippers are as much to blame for Elton Brand not being in Clipperland any more as Elton Brand is.  Mike Dunleavy shouldn't be running a basketball franchise anyway, and after the poor treatment of Elgin Baylor I hope the clippers somehow become a laughing stock on and off the court in terms of the financial success of the franchise, cause it couldn't happen to a nicer backstabbing mean owner than Donald Sterling.

Dammit. I thought you promised you weren't going to enter into discussions with me!  

I'm referencing (admittely vague reference) the reports that Boozer has told Jazz ownership he means to stay and has told friends and "insiders" (Reality-types) that he means to move to Miami, his off-season home. If he did indeed tell the Jazz he'll stay, and then leaves for equal or less money (which would probably be the case), then yes, the Jazz will be paying the piper, getting their comeuppance, etc.

I have not heard your version of events. I'll have to do some more research.