Baron Davis wants you to know he is not fat

Baron Davis has been called plenty of things as the point guard and team leader for the Los Angeles Clippers, and he’s taken it all mostly with a “sticks and stones” attitude. Then he’d jack up another uncontested three early in the shot clock.

But don’t call the man fat.

ESPN’s Chris Broussard did, putting this in a summer look at the team:

For all the new faces, the Clippers will go only as far as veteran Baron Davis takes them.... Midsummer reports weren’t good, as sources said the 6-3 point guard was up to 260 pounds, 45 pounds above his listed playing weight.

Davis came back at that on twitter (as first noted by Sports By Brooks):

260 lbs. < - faulty insider info... Hi hatersss! Lol

Photos of Davis from a recent Davis-sponsored charity event in Los Angeles posted on SBB confirm that the point guard looks pretty much at the weight and shape he played in last season. He certainly didn’t appear to be 260.

But Broussard was right about the first part -- Davis is key to the Clippers chances. Blake Griffin will be back and should remind everyone why he was the No. 1 overall pick. Eric Gordon should step forward off his USA Basketball experience. Chris Kaman and the addition of Ryan Gomes gives the Clippers a quality front line.

But it all comes back to Davis. If he is loafing around the court and jacking up threes early in the shot clock, the Clippers are in trouble. It is the biggest task facing new coach Vinny Del Negro -- getting Davis to buy in. Really buy in. Whatever his weight.