<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Corey Maggette spent his first official morning as a Warrior autographing jerseys and posing for photos at a youth basketball camp in Alameda Friday. He dispensed advice - work hard, listen to your coaches - to youngsters. He also conducted a hoops town hall. One kid asked how Maggette thought he would fit with the Warriors. Good question. Corey? "In a Don Nelson system, it's run-and-gun," he said. "That's what I do best - playing up-tempo basketball. With the Clippers, I've been in a post-up game. So I'm looking forward to playing here." Maggette completed his whirlwind Golden State courtship with his formal introduction - including the obligatory donning of a Warriors jersey. He seemed genuinely excited. And who wouldn't be after just agreeing to a five-year deal worth $50 million? But he also seemed a bit mystified how, in the game of free-agent musical chairs, he landed with the Warriors, Baron Davis now was a Los Angeles Clipper and Elton Brand ended up in Philadelphia. He contends the plan had been for the trio to recreate the Boston Celtics' Big Three act in Clipperland. But then, Maggette kept saying, everything changed. Hence, Maggette in Warriors clothing. "I'm still stunned by what happened and that I'm in the Bay Area," said Maggette, 28. "It's kind of surreal." Later he added: "I'm just trying to soak all this in. It's funny how this worked out." Maggette is sort of a well-compensated consolation prize after the Warriors lost Davis and then whiffed on their attempts to lure Brand and Gilbert Arenas. He doesn't address the team's pressing needs at point guard or for a strong rebounder. But Maggette is an athletic, 6-foot-6 swingman who averaged 22.1 points a game last season and is suited for fast-paced Nellie Ball. The Warriors have been loaded with big guards/small forwards in recent years. But Maggette represents an upgrade and possesses one skill the team has lacked - someone who consistently drives to the hoop to score ... or at least get fouled. Oh, and Maggette can hit his free throws - he's an 82-percent shooter. And that's an area where the Warriors have been woeful. He also has the reputation as a good locker room presence who is a workout demon. Warriors executive Chris Mullin told the San Jose Mercury News this week he hopes Maggette can be a leader whom the younger Warriors will emulate both on and off the court. Ego doesn't appear to be a problem, either. Maggette agrees that the Warriors now are Monta Ellis' team and that his job is to do everything he can to help him thrive. "When you're the point guard, you have to be the general on the floor," Maggette said. "Me, Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington are the backbone." But as free agency dawned on July 1, it appeared highly unlike that he would be part of the Warriors anatomy. Both Maggette and Brand opted out of their Clipper contracts. But Maggette claimed it was their intent to stay in Los Angeles - adding he was willing to take less money than he could get elsewhere. When Davis made his NBA-shaking decision to sign with the Clippers, Maggette said they all were calling and text-messaging one another about how they could be a West Coast version of the Celtics. Kevin Garrett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen merged forces this season to win a title. "I was having phone conversations with Baron and he was saying, 'This is going to be great. With E.B. and (Chris) Kaman healthy, we've got everyone here we need,' " Maggette recalled. "We were trying to do what Boston did." Alas, the Clippers' blueprint for NBA domination "lasted about 12 hours when we were all on the same page. Then in one phone call, everything started going haywire." Brand told Maggette he had begun leaning toward Philadelphia's $80-million offer. So, Maggette explored his other options. He considered Boston and San Antonio. But because of the NBA salary cap, they were limited to giving him a mid-level exception contract, which starts at $5.6 million the first year. The Warriors blew that away with a hefty offer averaging $10 million a year. The end result? "Baron's there. I'm here. And E.B. is in Philly." As the NBA world turns. Maggette said he's expecting the Warriors' summer of extreme makeover to continue. They have signed the Lakers' Ronny Turiaf to a four-year, $17 million offer sheet. "And I know they're not done yet," he said. Maggette visited the Warriors' facility for a tour and physical Thursday. Afterward, he asked if he could shoot. "So I got a pair of Matt Barnes' old shoes and I ended up staying for two hours," he said. "Chris Mullin called wanting to know where I was. When they told him, he said: 'Let him work. I don't want to talk to him right now.' " Not when his newest acquisition was already getting ready for next season.</div> Source: Times Herald Online
#50...how appropriate Well I am excited to have him on the team, I still think $50M/5 was too steep a price and they probably could have gotten him for a bit less since everyone else seemed to be stuck at the MLE. Think about that though. You now have 4 legit 20+ point scorers as starters (Ellis, Jackson, Maggette, Harrington) and Biedrins probably could be one if he were an offensive focus (and continues to improve in freethrowing). Plus Wright, Randolph, and Belinelli off the bench probably also all have 20-point potential.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HiRez @ Jul 12 2008, 08:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>#50...how appropriate Well I am excited to have him on the team, I still think $50M/5 was too steep a price and they probably could have gotten him for a bit less since everyone else seemed to be stuck at the MLE. Think about that though. You now have 4 legit 20+ point scorers as starters (Ellis, Jackson, Maggette, Harrington) and Biedrins probably could be one if he were an offensive focus (and continues to improve in freethrowing). Plus Wright, Randolph, and Belinelli off the bench probably also all have 20-point potential.</div> Biedrins a 20 point player? I don't know, but I agree with what you are saying. That's why getting that distributer is going to be important. All of these players did not play that well when Baron was not on the court, for the most part on my recollection. I think the roster kind of easily collapses without Baron for too long. But maybe Monta Ellis will step it up and be like a AI? I guess that is my highest hopes for him. Anyway that Clipper team would had been very crazy. Baron/Maggette/Brand/Kaman. That's not a bad team at all. I am kind of glad it did not work out My friend was telling me how Mike Dunleavy was on the radio talking about how Brand stabbed them in the back and how he had the text messages of how that whole thing was supposed to work out and of Elton Brand saying he'd stay. But the deal is officially $50mil for 5 years? That is a little much. Also it's kind of interesting that Maggette would say that he expects a lot more moves this offseason (or at least a major move or two). Everything else I've heard had lead me to believe nothing major was going to happen. I also wonder how Baron is going to like playing for Mike Dunleavy Sr. I am not so sure if he likes the slow paced game. Maybe Dunleavy will change things up down there in LA now that the team has Baron...
ESPN's roster has Maggette's 2008 salary at $7,000,000. If thats the case I feel much better about Maggette's contract.
Maybe Mags increases like: 7, 8.5, 10, 11.5, 13.0mil where Maggette becomes a big fat expiring contract for those teams that want to dump salary. I think Biedrins can be a 15 ppg scorer. If Okafor can do it, so can Biedrins. The guards just need to feed him the ball and Nelson needs to keep him in the game and Biedrins need to develop a killer instinct for scoring. None of this Sjax at center business and none of this Biedrins giving up on shot attempts after he's made 4 of 4 buckets. When it was just Biedrins and Monta, I remember Biedrins as the 2nd or 3rd option scorer was pretty decent (just a lot of turnovers though). I know they didn't let Biedrins score for long when they had Barnes on the wings. Biedrins pretty much just passes it back out rather than try to work something inside. He's probably going to alternate between 8 points a game and double digits unless he bulks up and gets more aggressive in scoring. The guy has some offense. Then again I could be wrong and he could be Tyson Chandler.
I can't believe it's not butter...wait, yes I can. Good signing IMO. He'll bring scoring and will be a good mentor to Randolph.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Custodianrules2 @ Jul 15 2008, 12:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Damn, Shake, you lose a bet or something?</div> AHAHAHAHAHAHAH he is a lost bet
