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teamfiend
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Post subject: maggette news
 Posted: Apr 03, 2008 - 08:53 PM PST
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Clipper Rookie
Joined: Oct 24, 2007
Posts: 95
Location: los angeles
  
votes: 2
Status: Offline
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By Jonathan Abrams, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
11:07 AM PDT, April 3, 2008
His choice, his destiny, his future -- Corey Maggette, finally and firmly, controls them all.
Maggette, 28, a hardscrabble small forward capable of getting to the rim and the foul line frequently, is the longest-tenured player on the Clippers. But the signs are that he will opt out of the final season of his six-year, $42-million contract after this season, to test the free agent market.
Corey Maggette
click to enlarge
So, is Maggette coming or going?
"I've been here the longest out of any player on our team, and every time I see the good, the bad, the ugly," he said. "There's going to be a good day, and if I'm here when that happens, I would love to be here."
Maggette has played on only one winning team in his eight seasons as a Clipper. Slowly, but surely, he is watching another individually solid season slip by the wayside.
This season he is averaging a team-high 22.4 points, better than his previous career high of 22.2 points, plus 5.7 rebounds per game. Top that off with a 38.3% shooting average from the three-point line -- another career high -- and this is one of his best years.
Last summer Maggette declined a three-year, $25.5-million extension by the Clippers. His agent, Rob Pelinka, also represents Kobe Bryant.
But Clippers owner Donald T. Sterling and Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor have repeatedly stated their desire to keep Maggette, both crediting him for his hard play.
That workmanlike-mentality was grounded early, said Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers, who coached the Magic nine years ago when Maggette was a rookie. "I remember early on, Corey just felt that because he was a high draft pick, that he was going to play and he didn't," Rivers said. "He went from that to being one of the hardest workers in our practices, and I think that's where he's changed."
Alvin Gentry, now a Suns assistant, became the beneficiary of that effort as the Clippers head coach when Maggette blossomed. "The one thing about Corey is, you are never going to have to talk to him about playing hard," Gentry said. "He plays as hard as anyone in the league."
Five years ago Maggette almost left the Clippers. He signed a Utah Jazz offer sheet, only to be yanked back when the Clippers matched it. And he has been dogged by trade speculation ever since.
Maggette is expected to be an attractive player if he becomes a free agent this summer. The Clippers can offer him a larger contract than any other team and tack on an additional year. The Miami Heat -- who may also target Elton Brand, if he opts out of his contract -- and the Memphis Grizzlies are among the few teams expected to have enough salary cap space to make a decent bid.
"The [salary] range is already set for him, and no matter what happens to him, that range is going to be pretty good," Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said. "The only thing he has to worry about, really, is injury."
Last summer, free agent Rashard Lewis landed a maximum contract with a six-year, $118.5-million deal with the Magic.
The 6-foot-6 Maggette has averaged 20-plus points a game in three seasons, but he's never been an All-Star and various coaches and players say privately that he is not a "max" salary player.
One Western Conference coach said of Maggette: "His defense is below average, and he is a 'crash' player on offense -- he just throws his body at the basket and tries to draw a foul."
Maggette does draw fouls, though. He's scored about 35% of his career points from the line, the third-highest percentage in NBA history for players with at least 7,000 points, according to Stats LLC. Kobe Bryant, by comparison, has scored 26% of his points from free-throws.
A Western Conference scout cited Maggette's quick first step and athleticism as his major strengths, but that teams can play off him because his jump shot isn't steady. "He sees the game through his concerns first," the scout said. "It's fairly common among NBA players, but dangerous if taken too far with your leaders of the team. He's been better this year than in past seasons and this says a lot, since they needed him more with Brand out."
Concerns remain over how Maggette will fit into next year's Clippers team. If Brand returns, along with rapidly developing forward Al Thornton and center Chris Kaman -- they will all be looking for the basketball.
There's also his sometimes tenuous relationship with Dunleavy.
Last summer a deal for Dallas Mavericks point guard Jason Terry in exchange for Maggette was discussed, partly because Dunleavy was worried about losing Maggette to free agency. But Sterling rejected the deal.
Dunleavy said that issues between them over Maggette's role on the team are in the past. Still, he would still like to see Maggette become a better defender.
"You look at [Corey's] body and you think that he could be a defensive stopper, and that's one of the things we would like him to continue working on," Dunleavy said.
Said Maggette: "At the end of the day, if I'm going to be here, it's because of the loyalty from the fans, the general manager and the owner. We'll see." |
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laclippers
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Post subject: RE: maggette news
Posted: Apr 03, 2008 - 09:48 PM PST
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Clipper Starter
Joined: Dec 05, 2007
Posts: 570
Location: Los Angeles, California
votes: 4
Status: Offline
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"I've been here the longest out of any player on our team, and every time I see the good, the bad, the ugly," he said. "There's going to be a good day, and if I'm here when that happens, I would love to be here."
The two quotes from Maggette are very promising. It sounds like he believes in the Clippers (somewhat). Corey won't get more than 14 mil a year from any team, in my opinion. The Rashard Lewis comparison is a little unrealistic to me. |
_________________
Dedicated to the Clippers. Now. Forever. Always.
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clipper*joe
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Post subject: RE: maggette news
Posted: Apr 04, 2008 - 12:03 AM PST
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Clipper All-Star
Joined: Jul 26, 2007 Age: 41
Posts: 1136
Location: los angeles
votes: 23
Status: Offline
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| Sounds like there is no love lost between Dunleavy and Maggette. Thanks for the article TF. |
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jlemmen43
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Post subject: RE: maggette news
Posted: Apr 04, 2008 - 01:06 AM PST
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Clipper All-Star
Joined: Oct 03, 2005
Posts: 1324
Location: Green Bay, WI
votes: 10
Status: Offline
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| Sign-and-trade with Memphis looks better from what this article says about teams looking to add bigger FA player contracts. |
_________________
Favorite Teams:
(NBA) Clippers_(NFL) Jaguars_(NCAA) PITT_(MLB) Marlins_(NHL) Canucks
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clipps04
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Post subject: RE: maggette news
Posted: Apr 04, 2008 - 11:58 AM PST
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Clipper Starter
Joined: Nov 16, 2007 Age: 20
Posts: 964
votes: 8
Status: Offline
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"At the end of the day, if I'm going to be here, it's because of the loyalty from the fans, the general manager and the owner. We'll see."
Guess he really doesn't like Dunleavy all that much. Is that not a problem? Can't see how if they can't get along how we function the way we do. I guess during games and practices they both look past their differences. |
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ether
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 05, 2008 - 02:12 PM PST
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Clipper Starter
Joined: Feb 23, 2007
Posts: 585
Location: Los Angeles
votes: 9
Status: Offline
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| I don't think Memphis is a good destination for Corey. They have Rudy Gay (SF) as their core guy. Seems all the teams that we would want to deal with don't need a SF. It seems there may be great difficulty closing a sign-and-trade deal. |
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jlemmen43
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 05, 2008 - 10:10 PM PST
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Clipper All-Star
Joined: Oct 03, 2005
Posts: 1324
Location: Green Bay, WI
votes: 10
Status: Offline
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| Yes, it seems like it will be a problem to do so. I agree. At first it seemed like a good option, but now it really isnt realistic. |
_________________
Favorite Teams:
(NBA) Clippers_(NFL) Jaguars_(NCAA) PITT_(MLB) Marlins_(NHL) Canucks
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LAsports
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 08, 2008 - 12:05 AM PST
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Clipper D-League Pickup
Joined: Apr 07, 2008
Posts: 8
Status: Offline
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| trade him to the bulls for one of their young guards, or for hughes and gooden |
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clipper*joe
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 08, 2008 - 12:18 AM PST
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Clipper All-Star
Joined: Jul 26, 2007 Age: 41
Posts: 1136
Location: los angeles
votes: 23
Status: Offline
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LAsports wrote:
trade him to the bulls for one of their young guards, or for hughes and gooden
Hindrich would do the job just fine. The salaries wouldn't match with Hughes & gooden unless we load the contract for Maggette. |
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LAC_12
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 08, 2008 - 08:00 PM PST
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Clipper 6th Man
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 202
Location: LA
votes: 1
Status: Offline
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| KEEP MAGGETTE, LOOSE DUNLEAVY. |
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