Bay Area Sports Blogging

Baron Davis, the face of the Warriors' resurgence, opted out of his contract yesterday night.  The choice was a bold move on his part as he leaves $17.2 million behind.

Rumors have Davis going to the Los Angeles Clippers were he will play in front of his hometown fans.  Elton Brand, who also opted out of his contract, is expected to resign with the Clippers at a lower rate thus giving them their own version of the Big-3 in Davis, Brand, and Kaman.

There have also been rumors with Davis heading to the New York Knicks to play under D'Antoni's wide-open offense.  Although Davis is a West-coast guy, there would be no complaints if the Knicks offer a max contract.

A less unlikely scenario, but one that would benefit the Warriors immensely, is the Davis to the Miami Heat rumor.  Marion happens to have a sizeable contract on its last year and with Michael Beasley on board, a sign-and-trade of Davis for Marion would not be out of the question.

So, what does this mean for the Warriors?

Rumblins out of the front office is jovial and festive.  Opting out of his contract, Davis gave the team incredible flexibility to pursue other high impact players.  There was already a PR move made by the team, minutes after Davis' decision, with a max offer to Gilbert Arenas.  If that offer falls through, Andre Iguoldala and Josh Smith could be in their sites.

If the Warriors end up with nothing then that could still be considered a good opportunity.  The young core of the Warriors with Monta Ellis, Marco Belinelli, Anthony Randolph, Brandan Wright, and Andris Biedrins would provide the fans with a pretty exciting team.  They may not make the playoffs, but they have potential to grow into a contending team.

With a high draft pick next year, the Warriors can pick up the missing piece to their puzzle.  Maybe a PG if Ellis doesn't pan out or a big-SG to take over for Jackson when his time comes.

The Warriors' future is bright and we owe all our thanks to Baron Davis and his unlikely contract play.