Last week I listened to an interview of Elton Brand here in Los Angeles on local KLAC-AM. This was well before the L.A. Clippers’ blindside Baron Davis sign. During the visit, Brand said pretty much everything but that he would take less in contractual obligations to remain with the Clips. He went on and on about his devotion to his teammates and even referred fondly to some of the team’s trainers by name - as he sold the prospect of his return
Fast forward to today, which has Brand and his agent, David Falk, huddling in Washington D.C., as they mull a more lucrative offer from the Golden State Warriors - and, according to the LOS ANGELES TIMES, the darkhorse Philadelphia 76ers.
Most around here, of course, will tell you that Brand is a man of his word and will indeed eventually re-sign with the Clippers. So what then is taking so damn long?
It’s clear that Brand’s agent Falk is no doubt pushing his client (and rightly so) to closely examine the ramifications of turning down $90M+ offers from Golden State and Philly. And in keeping with that, perhaps force the Clippers into additional, while small, contractual concessions.
One source close to the situation told me today that he thinks Falk is deliberately bottlenecking Brand’s re-signing with the club in order to let the Clippers (and their fans) know just how important his client is to the team. And of course, how he took less money to stay.
Not to mention waiting for din from the Baron buzz to dissipate - so Brand can reclaim center stage in announcing his agreement. In other words, don’t blame Brand for the delay, but his oft-cantankerous counsel Falk.
And if Brand does depart, most close to the situation believe that it will be because of Falk’s influence, who clearly has no allegiance to Elgin & Co.
In the end, the decision will be all Brand’s, and if he chooses to turn down the Clippers’ $70M offer after the club scared Baron out of the Bay Area, I wouldn’t want to be at his next Hollywood pitch session.
More Clippers news: Chris Kaman will be play for Germany in the summer Olympics.
Video of the Padres’ Michael Barrett fouling a ball off his face last night in Colorado:
Rays manager Joe Maddon to the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES on someone illegally using his debit card to fill a car in New York: “With the price of gas these days, I would have preferred they’d gone to Tiffany’s.”
Maddon is also most notably a sharer of Baron Davis’ eyewear:
Think I would’ve drummed up that quote and comparison if the Rays weren’t in first and coming off a sweep of the Bosox?
Mike Florio of PRO FOOTBALL TALK plainly shows how ESPN trumped up the Brett Favre comeback story by cutting off a quote he gave to the BILOXI SUN-HERALD.
I, like you, watched SportsCenter last night as Favre’s “it’s all rumor” quote was touted over and over. One problem though, Favre finished the quote by saying, “there’s no reason for it.” ESPN conveniently left out the second part of the comment, which makes the story just a smidge less compelling.
Read more…
