It has been one step forward, two steps back, one step forward, another step back, and finally a step forward for the Clippers this summer.

To recap: All-Star guard Baron Davis opted out of the final year of his contract with the Golden State Warriors, to sign a five-year, $65 million contract with the Clippers.

Instantly, Clipper Nation dreamed of a return to the playoffs, visualizing a one-two scoring power force of Davis and the face of the franchise, forward Elton Brand.

But, shockingly, Brand foiled those plans when he spurned the Clippers to sign a five-year, $81 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Several theories have been reported as to why Brand left the Clippers in favor of the Sixers -- tired of losing; insulted at what he perceived to be the Clippers' take-it-or-leave-it offer; wanting to move back to the East Coast, where he was born; believing that his chances of going deep in the playoffs lie in the Eastern Conference rather than in the West.

However, what has not been brought up before now is word that Brand did not want to play with longtime teammate Corey Maggette anymore. Maggette's self-absorbed playing style had worn thin on Brand.

Although the two played together for seven seasons with the Clippers, maintained great respect for one another and have known each other since they played together for one year at Duke, the truth is they were not close friends who hung with each other off the court. That was the case even before both left the bachelor life and got married.

But Brand, even if he had remained with the Clippers, need not have worried about playing with Maggette anymore.

Soon after Brand posed for photos in his Sixers jersey, Maggette turned in his red, white and blue Clippers colors for the orange, gold and blue of the Golden State Warriors. Maggette's decision could not come as any surprise to Clippers fans, in that he had been the source of confirmed trade discussions over the past several years and nearly was dealt at least twice.

Although Maggette had a sometimes turbulent relationship with Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy through the years, Maggette contacted the organization in the aftermath of Brand's decision. However, Maggette reportedly was told that the organization had no interest in topping the five-year, $65 million that the Warriors offered.

Flushed with salary-cap space, the Clippers acquired forward-center Marcus Camby from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for two future second-round draft picks. During that same period, the Clippers signed Warriors guard Kelenna Azubuike to a three-year offer sheet.

Unfortunately for the Clippers, the Warriors surprisingly matched the offer sheet a day after signing their fledging star guard, Monta Ellis, to a lucrative multi-year contract.

So what did the Clippers do to balance the scales? They traded point guard Brevin Knight to the Utah Jazz in a straight-up deal for point guard Jason Hart, who finished the 2006-07 season with the Clippers.

What does this give the Clippers? Because Hart is more of a scoring threat, he is a better all-around offensive player than Knight. Defensively, Knight is a quick-handed threat to steal the ball, but Hart is more proficient at keeping opposing guards in front of him.

And like Davis, it is a Los Angeles homecoming for Hart, who expressed the desire last season to return to the Clippers when he was designated as the third point guard in Utah.

Later, the Clippers signed swingman Ricky Davis, who played for Miami last season, to a multiyear contract.

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