Monday, December 01, 2008

By BEE NEWS SERVICES

last updated: July 01, 2008 05:04:23 AM

Ron Artest will remain in Sacramento, but Baron Davis may be history in Oakland.

Artest remained with the Kings on Monday, when the deadline passed for the small forward to opt out of the final season of his contract and take his skills to free agency.

Davis, meanwhile, elected to become a free agent, opting out of the final year of his contract with the Warriors in a surprise move.

The Warriors didn't expect Davis to opt out of the $17.8 million deal in the final year of a six-year contract, despite little progress in the parties' long-term negotiation, but club spokesman Raymond Ridder said they received a letter from Davis' agent, Todd Ramasar, late Monday indicating his intention.

Davis could remain with Golden State as a free agent, but his opt-out clause was his only bit of leverage in forcing contract talks with the Warriors before next summer. The former All-Star also is now free to negotiate with other clubs, possibly facilitating a sign-and-trade deal with Golden State.

That includes the Kings, who may now be looking for a point guard.

Just as one offseason question was answered for the Kings, another arrived in the beginning of the Beno Udrih courting. The fifth-year point guard became a former King at 9 p.m. Monday, when the team was expected to dial his agent, Marc Cornstein, in New York before anyone else in an attempt to keep him.

Numerous sources close to the team said the Kings were prepared to offer Udrih their full midlevel exception ($6 million) in a five-year deal. Former Kings point guard Anthony Johnson and forward Lorenzen Wright also became free agents, and the team isn't expected to pursue either.

The Kings' most ardent competition for Udrih could be the Clippers, who likely will have ample salary cap room to offer him more than the midlevel and are in desperate need of a point guard.

WARRIORS ADD SEC TOUCH, at Oakland -- Anthony Randolph has had his eye on the Warriors since Don Nelson became their coach two years ago.

Now it's Nelson's turn to keep an eye on Randolph, the Warriors' first-round pick and the latest skinny forward they hope to turn into a large NBA star.

"I remembered Coach from when he was with the Mavericks, so I've paid a lot of attention to the Warriors," said Randolph, a rail-thin 18-year-old forward who graduated from high school in the Dallas area last summer. "I always thought I'd be perfect to play for them if I ever got the chance. When they beat Dallas in the playoffs last year, an 8 seed beating a 1, I loved that."

Golden State introduced Randolph and second-round selection Richard Hendrix to the Bay Area at the beginning of an eventful summer of workouts and adjustments to the pro game.

But while the rookies showed off their jerseys, the club apparently elected not to acquire any other new players with the $10 million trade exception they received in last year's trade of Jason Richardson to the Charlotte Hornets. They were expected to allow the salary credit to expire at midnight.

Just a few months ago, Randolph and Hendrix were competing against each other in the SEC, sometimes guarding each other as they split their schools' two meetings.

"We got that all out during the season, so we should be all right," said Randolph, who played one year at LSU.

"I haven't got mine all out yet," retorted Hendrix, who starred for three seasons at Alabama.

CLIPPERS' BRAND OPTS OUT -- Los Angeles Clippers forward Elton Brand told ESPN.com he's opting out of the final year of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent.

"We're trying to work it out. My intention is to stay," Brand told the Web site Monday night.

Brand has $16.4 million left on the deal he signed in 2003.

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