How the Clippers got left behind at Brand central station

This summer was supposed to be a quiet free-agency period for the NBA, with few quality players on the market and even fewer teams with the available salary cap space to woo them.

And then free agency actually hit last week.

Here’s a brief summary of the merry-go-round of the past 10 days, where the Clippers suddenly became the epicenter of the free-agent market to both positive and negative results.

* Elton Brand (mild surprise) and Corey Maggette (no surprise) opted out of the final season of their Clippers’ contracts – and Baron Davis (huge surprise) opts out of the final season of his contract with the Golden State Warriors. The trio leaves a combined $41.2 million on the table from what they were slated to earn in 2008-2009.

* Once free agency hits, Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy is in New York, courting Sacramento Kings’ free-agent point guard Beno Udrih. Udrih opts to stay with the Sacramento Kings.

* Davis then comes to an oral agreement with the Clippers under a deal for five years and $65 million. The Clippers believe they have a deal in place for Brand as well.

* With the added salary cap space from Davis’ departure, Golden State turns around and offers Brand a five-year, $90-million contract.

* The Philadelphia 76ers, one of the few teams with available salary cap space to begin with, court Atlanta Hawks restricted free-agent forward Josh Smith. They do not give him a contract offer.

* The 76ers then turn their attention to Brand, reaching an oral agreement with him Tuesday for five years and $82 million. They create the additional cap space by trading Rodney Carney, Calvin Booth and a No. 1 draft pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

* With Brand no longer available, the Golden State Warriors reach an oral agreement to sign Maggette under a five-year, $50-million deal.

* The Clippers now turn their focus to Smith and Charlotte Bobcats restricted free-agent Emeka Okafor to fill Brand’s spot.

Stay tuned.

jonathan.abrams@latimes.com