Clippers Dunleavy bashes Brand and agent

[MapleLeaf]

From espn.com

Los Angeles Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy, responding to claims made by Elton Brand and his agent that Brand left for Philadelphia after being presented a "take it or leave it" offer, said he's still trying to come to grips with Brand's sudden change of heart and address.

"I honestly don't understand it," Dunleavy said, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.

Both Dunleavy and Brand's agent, David Falk, appeared on Mason & Ireland on 710 ESPN Los Angeles on Thursday, each giving his side of the story. Dunleavy said that he had text messages from Brand confirming a deal to stay with the Clippers, but Falk said, "If there would have been a deal, Elton would be in L.A. right now."

"I don't know why they're trying to spin this out of control," Dunleavy said on the Mason & Ireland show. "It's a non-binding agreement. You gave your word, you don't have to keep your word. Just say I changed my mind for whatever the reason."

Brand opted out of his contract with the Clippers, but it was believed he would re-sign with them when they made a deal for free-agent guard Baron Davis -- a move widely seen as making the Clippers a contender again in the Western Conference. And Davis said Brand, a friend of his since high school, led the charge in recruiting him to L.A.

Instead, Brand, 29, signed a five-year deal worth $79.795 million with the Sixers, turning that young team into a possible contender in the Eastern Conference -- and leaving the Clippers wondering what happened.

A frustrated Dunleavy fired back, suggesting something changed after the team had reworked its contract language with Brand and worked out a deal with Davis. And he pointed the blame at Falk.

"... It all changed, and I don't know the reason for it. David Falk had an incredible influence on [Brand], to poison him in some way against us," Dunleavy said, according to the L.A. Daily News. "We never even got a call to understand there even was a problem, or why there was a problem. ... It was uncharacteristic of EB."

On Thursday, as Brand was introduced as the newest member of the 76ers, Falk said Brand spurned the Clippers once he was offered a "take it or leave it" contract on June 30 -- a deal Falk said was worth $20 million less than what Brand signed for in Philadelphia.

And Falk said the greater insult came when he was told that Clippers owner Donald Sterling said he would be happy with Brand's decision either way.

On 710 ESPN, Falk said the Clippers made "a calculated mistake."

"I think that they thought there was no one else on the market that could have offered more than they were offering," he said. "I think they underestimated the ability of other teams to become competitive."

Dunleavy took issue with Falk's and Brand's version of events, calling the agent's comments about Sterling "way off base" and questioning whether his own relationship with Brand was ever as close as he thought it was.

"David Falk was asking for $120 million. And he's trying to scorch the earth and saying, if not next year, he'll get $150 million," Dunleavy said. "Well, Mr. Sterling's response was listen, Elton's coming off an Achilles [tendon] surgery and I know he's a great player, but I'm a little reluctant to put that kind of money on the board. Have him play out his contract next year and if he deserves that, I'm more than happy to pay him.

"And Elton Brand, who I was close to, and I thought much closer than I am, I guess, or I didn't know him as well as [Falk] certainly did, comes to me and says, 'Coach, I really want to be here and really what I want is $75 million ... I'd be happy. And I'd like to go after some free agents."

Furthermore, Dunleavy said, Brand and Falk agreed to that strategy.

"David Falk agreed to the deal ... We have a contract that he marked up, changed the language, did whatever he wanted to do to it," Dunleavy said. "He said if Baron is in, we're in. He texted our players. I've seen messages [saying] 'Hey dude, we're in, me, you and BD,' OK?"

Thursday, Davis said "there was never an underground handshake" between himself and Brand, according to the Daily News.

"We talked about it, yes. But we also talked about going to school together in college. Me and EB have been friends since the 10th grade," Davis said, according to the report. "No matter what we say to each other, at the end of the day, you have to do what's going to cement your future and something that you're going to be comfortable with, and that's what he did."

Asked when he knew Brand would not be staying in L.A., Davis said, "I had a feeling he was going to go when he stopped texting me and turned his phone off," and then laughed, according to the Daily News.

As for the Clippers' future, Dunleavy said they're committed to moving ahead with Davis and pursuing other free agents.

"This is the Baron Davis era now, OK?" he said on 710 ESPN. "We're going to go forward, we've got a lot of money [and] I got the backing of our owner. We're going to go out and make some good things happen."

 

[bulls12]

Money is definitely <Censored>ing up sports today IMO.

 

[$tunna]

Money is definitely <Censored>ing up sports today IMO.

Agreed

 

[yezzir]

Agreed

+2, this is becoming a business rather than a sport now. =\

 

[bulls12]

+2, this is becoming a business rather than a sport now. =\

Yeah, I agree. I mean, there are owners out there who "invest" in sports teams, and I personally don't like them. They ruin the real meaning of sports. There should be a lot more owners who are in it for the good of the team in my opinion.

 

[.GR]

Its not like he went to Philly for a couple mills, its 20 mil. I would have bolted too just like most people.

 

[RipCity32]

Cause you need that extra 20 million right?

 

[The Young One]

Here they go hating. Give it up we got Eb they can get Josh smith or meka.

 

[.GR]

Cause you need that extra 20 million right?

Yeah.

 

[The Young One]

Yeah.

Exactly get all the millions you can

 

[.GR]

I mean he may not need that extra money in his lifetime but Im sure these guys think about their kids and future grandkids and everything when considering contracts.

 

[dez]

The front office gave Brand a "Take it or leave it" deal, serves them right he left.

Brand is the perfect professional, nothing like alot of other money hungry athletes, he played in LAC for years and NEVER complained, never went public with problems he may have had, and never did anything but show up every game and put up doubl-doubles every night.

They had NO reason to treat him the way they did, Brand left b/c of the attitude of managment, money was not the main factor.

 

[VC3]

LOLOLOL

BARON GOES TO A WORSE TEAM FOR LESS MONEY = OWNED.