May 23, 2008 - 12:44 PM
0 shoutsMELVILLE, New York (Ticker) -- Golden State Warriors point guard Baron Davis might be willing to test the open market.
Davis has considered opting out of the final year of his contract after gauging other teams' interest in acquiring him, according to a report Friday by Newsday.
Davis, 29, is scheduled to make $17.8 million next season - the final year of a six-year, $84 million contract he signed with the New Orleans Hornets in July 2002.
Citing an anonymous source with knowledge of the situation, Newsday reported that Davis has inquired into the interest of other teams - including the New York Knicks, who covet a point guard to run new coach Mike D'Antoni's fast-paced offense.
Davis' agent, Todd Ramasar, claimed that his client would prefer to remain in Golden State, where he has thrived in coach Don Nelson's high-scoring offense.
Davis has been the driving force behind a Golden State team that has emerged as one of the most exciting and dangerous squads in the NBA. The Warriors delivered a shocking upset in the 2007 playoffs by upsetting the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round.
Despite winning 48 games this season - their highest total in 14 years - the Warriors failed to qualify for the Western Conference playoffs.
A two-time All-Star, the 6-3 Davis averaged 21.8 points and 7.6 assists in 82 games with the Warriors this past season - his third full campaign with the team.
It marked the first time since 2001-02 that the injury-prone Davis played an entire 82-game regular season. The third overall selection in the 1999 draft, Davis has averaged 17.1 points and 7.2 assists in nine seasons with the Warriors and Hornets.
