Baron Davis will not, in all likelihood, be taking his hometown team to the playoffs anytime soon.  It was assumed he was signing with the Clippers with the tacit assumption that Elton Brand would be there too.  Together they were supposed to form a new L.A. inside-outside power duo.  Instead, whether it was the lure of the East, a rising team, the money, or his agent David Falk, Brand has signed with Philadelphia for a 5-year $82 million contract.

For this the presumed Brand-Davis plan to even work, the Clippers had to renounce the rights to Corey Maggette.  Now he

What a way to start the NBA free agency period.  Baron Davis unexpectedly opted out of his contract and quickly signed with the Clippers.  Elton Brand also surprised some by opting out, and now is mulling over whether to rejoin the Clips with Davis or travel up north to Golden State.  The offer from the Warriors is actually bigger than the Clippers one for Brand, but his original intention was to give L.A. more flexibility under the cap to go after another star player.  GM Elgin Baylor has done that