Two seasons after the Spurs unsuccessfully tried to trade for Corey Maggette, they appear to be trying to recruit him.
According to two NBA sources, one from each conference, the Spurs are preparing to make an offer to Maggette, who became an unrestricted free agent Tuesday when he opted out of the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Details are not known, but the Spurs are believed to be poised to offer the 28-year-old guard-forward their full mid-level exception worth about $5.8 million for the first year, the sources say.
Maggette, who gave up $7 million to nullify his Clippers’ contract, would seem to satisfy the Spurs’ annual search for a young, athletic scorer on the wing. A 6-foot-6 slasher, Maggette has averaged 16.1 points during a nine-year NBA career, including 22.1 per game last season.
Spurs general manger R.C. Buford declined to comment on negotiations with any particular free agent.
News of Maggette’s potential courtship came hours after another swingman, Brent Barry, informed the Spurs he had decided to opt out of his contract, turning down the veteran minimum of $1.262 million to become an unrestricted free agent for the second time in six months.
In an odd bit of coincidence, Barry was part of a failed deal with the Clippers in January 2007 that would have brought Maggette to San Antonio. Another coincidence: Barry and Maggette share the same agent, Arn Tellem.
Reached late Tuesday night, Barry said he hadn’t heard anything of an impending deal between the Spurs and Maggette. He was more concerned with mapping his own future.
Under NBA rules, teams cannot sign free agents until July 9. Between now and then, the Spurs could have some competition for Maggette’s services.
The Orlando Sentinel, citing an unidentified friend of Maggette’s, reported earlier this week that the guard was encouraging the Magic to join the bidding for him.
Maggette played for the Magic during his rookie season of 1999-2000, and his parents still live in Central Florida. Like the Spurs, Orlando can offer Maggette its mid-level exception as a starting point.
You know how SA does it: Win a title, take a year off and win it again. Supposedly SA is the frontrunner wit Boston and maybe Orlando. Unless Philly or Memphis offer him a huge chunk of change, but Phillys gotta sign AI and Memphis dont want any big contracts.
