http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20955~1512627,00.html Maggette, Miller to test Clippers By Joe Stevens Staff Writer Whether it has been Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor or executive vice president Andy Roeser, the Clippers have repeatedly said they will match any offer sheet any of their players receives. On Wednesday, that premise will be tested. Corey Maggette has agreed to sign an offer sheet with the Utah Jazz, and Andre Miller has agreed to sign an offer sheet with the Denver Nuggets, according to multiple sources in the NBA who refused to be identified Monday. The two are prohibited from signing offer sheets until the free-agent signing period starts Wednesday. However, each has agreed orally to the deals. Because Maggette and Miller are restricted free agents, the Clippers have the right to match the offers the two receive and keep the players. The team will have 15 days from Wednesday to match the offers. Maggette's offer sheet is expected to be a maximum deal for six years and about $78 million. If the contract indeed is for the maximum, it will be a surprise because the shooting guard was not expected to lure such a lucrative deal this offseason. The Denver Nuggets met with him last week and reportedly offered him a six-year, $42 million deal. Miller is expected to sign a six-year, $55 million deal with the Nuggets. It also is a surprise where Maggette and Miller are signing. Throughout the summer, most speculation had Miller heading to Utah and Maggette going to Denver. The speculation was fueled by Maggette's closeness to Denver assistant general manager Jeff Weltman, who was the Clippers' director of player personnel when the team acquired him. With point guard John Stockton retiring, Miller appeared to be a fit as a point guard in Utah, where he played college basketball. Baylor and Roeser did not comment on the possibility of matching Maggette and Miller's contracts Monday. But last week, Baylor said: "The one message that has been delivered across the board is that we want to keep this group of players on our team, and we will make the effort to do that. We know that the players will explore their options, and we respect their rights to do so. But as we have stated consistently, we don't envision an offer sheet that we wouldn't match." Roeser, too, has been clear about the Clippers' plan to match offer sheets. Last week, Roeser said: "We've said all along that we like our players and would like to re-sign them. That's what we intend to do." The Clippers have two other restricted free agents, Elton Brand and Lamar Odom. One NBA source said Monday there is a chance the San Antonio Spurs will give Brand an offer sheet, but he might not sign it. The Clippers have offered Brand a five-year, $65 million contract, but it is uncertain whether he will accept it. The Clippers also have four unrestricted free agents, including Michael Olowokandi. Though it had appeared Olowokandi was certain to leave the team, it is not absolute. The Clippers and his agent are expected to meet today, but Olowokandi already has had serious discussions with several teams. Dunleavy's staff expands: NBA veteran assistant coaches Jim Eyen and Kim Hughes will be hired by the Clippers to join Mike Dunleavy's staff, a source close to the coach confirmed Monday on the condition of not being identified. Eyen got his start with the Clippers in the 1988-89 season as an assistant under Don Casey. He went on to coach under Dunleavy with the Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers and spent the past season as a scout with the New York Knicks. Though the source said Eyen and Hughes' hiring was a "done deal," Eyen said it was not finalized. He declined to comment on his potential hiring. "I can say that the Clippers made the perfect choice by hiring Mike," Eyen said from his home in Portland, Ore. "He is a great basketball mind. He's coached all different types of players in different situations, from veteran teams to rebuilding teams. He's done it all." Eyen will be considered the team's top assistant. Hughes is a former NBA player who has been an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets. One more assistant coach is expected to be added. It is unlikely it will be a carry-over from the Clippers' coaching staff this season. Joe Stevens, (562) 499-1338 joe.stevens@dailynews.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maggette's offer sheet is expected to be a maximum deal for six years and about $78 million. Ohhh this is just too good to be true. I simply can't believe the frugal, conservative Jazz would give Magette a max contract. I am praying it is true, because if it is you can write off the Jazz for the next decade.
You........... have............. got............. to............ be........... KIDDING ME!!!!!! Maggette isn't even close to being a max player. WTF are they thinking? Scratch that, they're not THINKING at all!
Write them off for the next decade? How so. Maggette's stats keep rising year after year - why not risk it? IMO this would be a good fit for the Jazz, who have not had a sg since Jeff Hornacek. I still don't see how this 'writes the Jazz off' being they have the money to do it.
Not "write them off" in the sense that they'll totally suck, or that they won't make the playoffs. They probably will still be making the playoffs for awhile; if not next season, then they'll probably start another string of playoff season in a couple years. What I'm assuming both me and smackpeddler mean by "writing them off for the next decade" is that there's no way you can pay a guy like Maggette the max and and hope for a championship. You think Mo Taylor's contract is bad? MAGGETTE IS THE NEXT JUWAN HOWARD IF THIS GOES DOWN. Skilled, but worth about half his contract. "They have the money to do it?" The point is that they won't have the money to sign the players who are actually worth the max in future years because they squandered it on a mediocre player.
How would they bring Brand in like Magette's brother told ESPN? Why would they sign a 3-4th option player for that much money? Though he can score and is flashy, is he their franchise player that will bring in the crowds? After going with a suspension of disbelief, I like it. It's like Scott Layden repossessed their front office to see if the Jazz can screw up more than the Knicks.
Oh I agree, the Jazz won't make the playoffs next year. BUT they are rebuilding, and maybe they feel Maggette is strong for them. Also to note in today's Salt Lake Tribune the Jazz are REALLY courting Arenas, and his agent says that Arenas hasn't ruled out Utah. So if they do in fact get him, they'll be in better shape in the coming years.
lol! Way to go Jazz. This contract makes the Rocket's contract screw ups over the last few years not look so bad.
To note, this isn't official at all. We can't say whether or not the Jazz signed him for the MAX until tomorrow, so I'll wait until then to make a strong opinion. I've got a lot of things to think over......
It's an Utah story on a Denver paper. So don't take like it's truth. Reportedly, it's just max years, not max money. I happen to think that the Jazz GM is smarter than this.
Also, the Clippers were a disjointed team last year, with everyone playing to pad their stats, not to win. I'm not sure that Maguette can put up those numbers toward a winning cause. A buddy of mine follows the clips religiously (poor sap) and thinks that Maguette basically had a great contract year. Either way, the max is way too much moolah. Something is going on behind the scenes.
I believe max years, but not max money. Joe Stevens must be on crack to report that; didn't it strike him as beyond the scope of possibility?
People laughed and scoffed when Tracy McGrady got the max from Orlando three summers ago. He had been in the league for three seasons at the time, gradually getting better and only flashing his true potential late into his 3rd season. Maggette is similar. Not as good, but similar. Maggette has shown similar potential and a similar learning curve after coming out of Duke after only hisfreshman year. He's an excellent defender, his shot is getting better, and he can get to the hole with easy. He doesn't have the same size or style of play as McGrady, but there's no reason why he couldn't live up to that contract given the chance. And considering Odom, Kandi, and Brand all missed significant amounts of time last year, Maggette was the best player on that Clippers squad, and more consistant to boot. He's just not as hearalded as those names. It may sound crazy, but if it takes the max to keep the Clippers from matching, then it's well worth it.
I completely disagree with you mf. At least tmac had shown flashes of being a star before the big contract. Maggoty has barely shown flashes of being a good player. And he was never even close to being the best player on that team, even with injuries. I don't believe this report either. I can't believe anyone would be stupid enough to hand him that contract.
That's a joke. MAXIMUM for Maggette? He's an OK player...but not as good as Mobley or Odom or Andre Miller.....and he's getting the MAX?!? Haha... I'd rather pay Miller 13 million than Maggette... We will just wait and see tomorrow...
thing is mfclark- Maggette was originally offered the same deal that Ron Artest got (6 years, 42 mill). To have a team turn around and go from "above MCE money" to "max money" is nearly incomprehensible. I realize that they have to overpay to make sure the Clips don't match (and because they're freaking Utah), but wow... Wasn't Toronto willing to max T-Mac as well? I think everyone knew T-Mac had Kobe-like upside. Maggette is a very good player, but if he shouldn't be getting max money. On a side note, I wonder what Dre Miller is thinking right now? That was supposed to be him filling Stockton's shoes in Utah- Denver offered more money to him than to Maggette, I wonder if Utah also offered him a max deal? Now the Miami offer to Arenas (who IMO had a better season than Maggette) makes sense. I wonder what this means for a guy like Posey?
CK - Maggette was hyped coming out of college, but the other players on that squad kept him from really busting out. When he had the team to himself, he avgd. nearly 20ppg. For the season, he was over 16ppg. He's an excellent defender and is one of the few players in the NBA who can contain Kobe and McGrady. He's shown flashed of being one of the best two guards in the league, imo, and that's even from when he played in Orlando. NIKE - Toronto wanted to max out McGrady, but he wanted out of there. Maggette wants out of LA, but unlike McGrady, he's a restricted FA. He may not be worth the max deal now - even if he gets it - but it's likely what it'll take to keep the Clippers from matching and there's a good chance (35-50%) he lives up to the deal. And if not? 18-20ppg out of your shooting guard, plus 6rpg, a steal and a block per game isn't horrific.
The Jazz should just wait until next season when Kobe, KG etc become free agents. See what happens if nothing, than go into complete rebuilding mode, theyre going to suck for for awhile. But they will rackup the high lottery picks, say what you want about the Jazz but they always find a nice player in the draft despite not having a high pick, imagine them having a lottery pick 3 or 4 sraight seasons. They will be back in no time as long as they dont rush it and give players the max who are just your above average players.
