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The big news in Oakland tonight: the impending departure of Baron Davis. Because Baron's opting out of his contract and signing with the Clippers, the Warriors will soon have nothing to show for their top star but memories of last year's playoff run.
Unfortunately, losing talent for pennies on the dollar is nothing new for Warriors fans—it happens on a regular basis. Don't believe me? Take a look at what happened to the team's top performers from the past decade. The table below shows all seasons in which a Warriors player posted a Player Efficiency Rating of at least 18, which translates to a "Solid 2nd option" according to Hollinger.
| Season | Player | PER | Swapped For |
| 2006-07 | Baron Davis | 21.0 | Nobody |
| 2004-05 | Baron Davis | 20.4 | |
| 2007-08 | Baron Davis | 19.8 | |
| 2005-06 | Baron Davis | 18.3 | |
| 2003-04 | Erick Dampier | 20.1 | Eduardo Najera |
| 2003-04 | Brian Cardinal | 19.4 | Nobody |
| 2007-08 | Andris Biedrins | 19.2 | |
| 2005-06 | Jason Richardson | 19.2 | Brandan Wright |
| 2004-05 | Jason Richardson | 19.0 | |
| 2007-08 | Monta Ellis | 19.0 | |
| 2002-03 | Antawn Jamison | 19.0 | Nick Van Exel |
| 2000-01 | Antawn Jamison | 19.0 | |
| 2002-03 | Gilbert Arenas | 18.6 | Nobody |
Granted, some of these guys probably weren't worth what it would have taken to keep them around. And hey—2 of the 13 will most likely be back for next season. But when you effectively trade Baron, Gilbert, J-Rich, and Jamison for a half season of Nick the Quick and the upside potential of Brandan Wright, you're going to have a tough time staying competitive.
Jason
posted 7/2/2008
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tykeenan I still cry about the summer they let Brian Cardinal and Erick Dampier walk. -
David Friedman I understand your frustration from a fan's perspective but the real question is whether or not it would have been worth it for Golden State to sign Davis to a long term deal. If the Warriors spent big bucks on Davis would they have enough money left over to build a team that can realistically contend? Even with Davis healthy for all 82 games they did not make the playoffs last year. The teams that win in the NBA spend their money wisely and Golden State's plan is to use the money that they did not spend on Davis to build around their young guys. Whether or not Mullin will be able to pull that off is another question altogether, of course.-
The Zoner The other side of this is that teams that win have those all-star leaders like Davis. "The teams that win in the NBA spend their money wisely and Golden State's plan is to use the money that they did not spend on Davis to build around their young guys." Not sure who they can or will get for this. Maybe it won't be until next year or 2010. -
Atma Brother #1 realistically contend
My friend it looks like you've never been to Dubs land. We're the best fans in all of hoops and we got nuts when our team just qualifies for post season action. Who said anything about contending?
I'm sure the Celtics and Ainge could've made those same arguments last year and traded away Paul Pierce. It's easier to build a contender (or even a playoff team) with BD on your roster than it is to build it with absolutely nothing in return.
Every year's a rebuilding year here and quite frankly it's getting old.
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Sarge Looks similar to something for the Indians... could we swap names?
Also, while Davis may or may not do well in LA, that Jamison/Van Exel deal is brutal....
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conflix Well, let me see...Nick Van Excel was coming off his killer performance in the playoffs with the Mavs. For that run he was arguably the most unstoppable player in basketball. I was ecstatic to trade him for a unorthodox, tweener with no real go-to move or defense to speak of. Nick didn't work out because he reverted to the malcontent he was known to be, but at least it was a bold risk worth taking. Just getting rid of that contract made it a good move!!
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ballerblogger Every team should aspire to win championships. But entertainment sells too. And Baron Davis spearheaded a resurgence in the Bay Area. I've never seen crowds like the one's that filled up Oracle Arena when GS upset Dallas. The Arena had a college basketball like atmosphere.
Losing Davis will hurt more that GS's win-loss column. Ticket and apparel sales will drop as well.
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tziller Not to extend the pain for my Bay Area friends, but is anyone else waiting with absolutely baited breath for Stephen Jackson's comments on the matter? -
FlyMaster Bring back Sleepy Floyd and Joe "Barely Cares" and things will be all good in the Yay Area. -
Ben Q. Rock Brian Cardinal once had a 19.4 PER?
Huh.
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carter_blanchard Ya, I wondered how that contract ever made sense. Who knew.
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With Baron Loss, Golden State Continues Streak of Getting Nothing for Something
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"when you effectively trade Baron, Gilbert, J-Rich, and Jamison for a half season of Nick the Quick and the upside potential of Brandan Wright, you're going to have a tough time staying competitive." - Jason ...
