Baron Davis Admits He Was Out of Shape

It’s amazing that a little over two years ago I was talking about the Clippers as a real contender when they signed Baron Davis. The excitement quickly ended when it was learned that Elton Brand would leave for Philadelphia, making the Baron signing seem like a waste of money.

The problematic point guard has been through a number of issues since returning to LA, and weight concerns have followed him the past few years. Baron did not play for the Clippers on Monday and is unlikely to play for them on Wednesday because of a knee injury. The team is 0-4 and Davis is shooting just 32% on the season with an assist-to-turnover ratio under two. Coach Vinny Del Negro blamed the knee injury on Baron being out of shape entering training camp and unprepared for the season. On Monday, Davis agreed:

“I usually get in shape in August. I’ve been doing that for the last six years of my career. This August I started working out and getting ready to go and it got a lot harder. It wasn’t like I wasn’t doing anything but my body wasn’t responding as quickly as it usually does and I think I kind of faced that reality this summer. … Getting in shape was never really a problem for me before but these nagging injuries have taught me a lesson. This summer was a dose of reality that I need to start training differently and earlier.”

That’s pretty crappy of Baron. First off, not only is it poor form to not be prepared entering any season, but why is it that he falls so out of shape in the first place? Isn’t he a professional athlete, not a part-time one? Isn’t it his job to be in good condition? You read stories about Kevin Durant constantly working to improve his game and then you read that Baron Davis wasn’t prepared for training camp and it shows why he’s never maximized his ability. It’s really a shame and what’s even worse is that he’s just stealing $13 million a season with the Clippers.