NBA Free Agent Frenzy: Three Best Signings Become No Big Deal

This off-season, I was predicting two things:

1) The SuperSonics would stay in Seattle for two more years. 

2 ) At least one team would try to duplicate the Boston Celtics' formula.

There is a very good chance I will be 0-for-2 on those predictions.

For a period of time, I thought that at least the second statement would come true when the Clippers signed Baron Davis. For a few days, the Clippers had one of the best starting 5's in the NBA.

The pairing of Davis with Elton Brand sounded electrifying. If they could both stay healthy, the Clippers would have one of the top big men and one of the top point guards in the league; a pairing that could easily rival any other in the Western Conference.

But it wasn't long before there were rumors of Brand taking Davis' roster spot on Golden State. Alas, maybe the Clippers weren't making a change for the better after all.

But at least the Warriors appeared to be heading in the right direction.

Yeah, not so fast on that prediction either.

Instead, it appears that Brand will be headed to...Philadelphia?

For a few days, the Clippers had Davis, Brand, and Corey Maggette all on the same roster. Nobody ever thought they would retain all three, but two out of three isn't bad. No, two out of three plus Chris Kaman and Al Thornton is a straight up playoff team with home court in the first round. 

 Brand (career scoring average of 20.3),  Davis (17.1), and Corey Maggette (16.1), were three of the top free agents available. In addition, the Clippers had the best shot at retaining two of them. They had already signed Davis, so the last thing to do was make sure he had a formidable scoring teammate.

Maggette scored 22 points a game last season and was poised to remain at an elite scoring level for some time. Instead, he'll be headed to Golden State, of all places.

Los Angeles Clippers. Golden State Warriors. Philadelphia 76ers. 

L.A and Golden State missed the playoffs last season. Philadelphia did hold a 2-1 series lead against Detroit but got trounced in the final 3 games of that series.

At one point in time, it seemed the Clippers were the Celtics of the West. Now, they are left with just Davis, Kaman, and Thornton as legit starters. Only one of those guys is a proven commodity. The Clippers showed that they indeed do not intend on changing their penny-pinching ways. And again, will miss the playoffs.

At another point in time, when it appeared the Warriors were the leaders to get Elton Brand, they had moved from the ninth seed to a playoff team. Even after losing Davis, they still would have had Monta Ellis, Steven Jackson, Al Harrington, Andris Biedrins, and now Elton Brand. 

But instead they added Corey Maggette. Who fits in where exactly?  If you rotate Jackson, Harrington, and Maggette, does anybody notice a difference?  The Warriors again are an eigth seed at best. Plus, with the Western Conference getting older, wiser, and better, they'll probably miss the playoffs for a second straight season.

Which brings us to the 76ers. They probably advanced much farther than the Clippers or Warriors did after these signings. 

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