So, apparently the Clippers have gone out and signed Ricky Davis to a multi-year contract. That's Ricky Buckets to those in the know, and it's buckets because that's what Ricky likes to do. Shoot and score.
Now, there's some good to this and some bad to this. The good is that the Clippers are amassing talent. Ricky Davis, for all of his shortcomings, is only 28 years old and has a deadly 3 point shot, is super athletic, and can legitimately play three positions (pg, sg, sf). The position flexibility will help ease ball handling when Eric Gordon plays. Ricky's averaged as many as 20 points a few years back with the Cavs, and two years ago, he averaged around 19.
Sure, last year, he played for the woeful Heat and had a down year like everyone else on that squad. Shaq even threw him and then teammate Chris Quinn (you know, the dude who looks like he's 13) under the bus in order to make himself feel better with his "real" NBA basketball teammates in Phoenix...those "real" teammates who helped Shaq get eliminated in the first round. But that's neither here nor there. Point is Shaq threw him under the bus, which shows some red flags about his character, but then, Shaq throws all of his ex teammates under the bus. So, take it for what it is...
Despite Davis' rep for being a ballhog, he has, in his defense, somehow managed to average 3.5 assists for his career with a few years in the 4.8 to 5.5 range. So, he can and does give up the rock. The downside with Ricky Davis is his penchant for partying and his inability to play within a team concept. The partying is well documented, though, has never really "affected his game." On the flipside, it's never made it better either. Also, with the loss of Brand and the trade for Camby, the Clips will need more guys who can get their own shot. BD and Ricky can both do that.
My cousin has dubbed Ricky a career loser in the Stephon Marbury mold. A guy with a lot of talent who can put up numbers, but whose teams never win. In fact, he's been on two of the worst teams historically ever. His Cavs team went 17-65 which allowed them to get Lebron the next year. And his Heat, last year, posted a 15-67 record, netting them Beasely. So, worst case scenario, Ricky Buckets watches the Clippers crash and burn to a horrific record next season that helps them net a prize draft choice as a result.
Ricky's lost everywhere he's been and you'd have to to go back to his first two years in the league when he played for the Charlotte Hornets. In that first shortened season, they went 26-24. The next year they went 49-33.
The positive that nobody seems to be talking about (cuz, most people outside of Clippers fans could care less about this signing) is that Ricky's two winning seasons came as a young Baron Davis' sidekick. Yup, back when BD was leading/coming up with the Hornets.
So, a reunion could be a wonderful thing. Maybe they'll click, gel, get back and play winning ball. Or, perhaps they'll both get lazy with gauranteed contracts and all the Clips grandiose plans will go right down the crapper.
Either way, Ricky Davis has skills and at least the Clips are looking to fill out their roster with talent...even if it is questionable in the head department.
