Cali Hoops

Lost in the "Chris Paul-Deron Williams-Tony Parker-Steve Nash" shuffle in the Western Conference this year was Baron Davis. Coming off a ginormous upset in the 2007 playoffs, Davis and the rest of the Warriors failed to make the playoffs this year. A few days ago, he surprised the Bay Area when he opted out of his contract with Golden State. Well now Warrior fans are more shocked than the Wachowski Brothers at Speed Racer's first weekend box office. Not only did he sign a 5 year, $65 million deal with a new team, but that team is the Los Angeles Clippers.

Davis dropped 22 and 7.5 this year but he and the rest of the team just ran out of gas down the stretch. He started every game for Don Nelson but bolted when he saw a team that probably wasn't going to gain much ground. Now if the Clip can convince Elton Brand to resign for less dough and dump Corey Maggette, they'll have a Davis-Brand-Kaman-Thornton-Mobley lineup that, if healthy, could make waves in a crowded Western Conference. I could see Davis fitting in nicely and having a great year. After what happened to poor Shaun Livingston, Clippers fans (all 8 of them) deserve to watch a guy who can control the rock and get to the basket.

He is only 29 years old (which I suppose makes him ancient compared to Paul and Williams) but he grew up outside of Los Angeles and went to college at UCLA. He got a bad rap at the end of his tenure with the Hornets but really seemed to pick things up in the 06-07 season. The thing is, after last year's insane player-swapping/deal-making, this move by the Clippers might not seem like a huge deal. And with their Staples Center roommates making the Finals, the pressure will be off them more than usual.

If that's even possible.

Still, I could have seen Davis in a Heat jersey. But I guess they will just have to settle for Davis' big brother from Miami.

BOSS.