"B. Diddy is questioning whether the Warriors view him as their franchise player."
They'd be right to question that. Baron is not worth max money, and he is not a player you can build around. He's a 2nd, 3rd, 4th piece. There is also not going to be much of a free agent market, and the league is overflowing with talent right now.
The days of maxing the best player on your team are over. Teams need 2-3 all stars to compete these days. The max should be saved for players who can put teams into the playoffs on their own (Duncan, Kobe, KG, Howard, LeBron, etc.)
Baron is a borderline All-Star who is frequently injured and is only getting older. Pay him appropriately.