Warriors forward Corey Maggette entered Friday's game averaging 20.6 points on 55.1 percent shooting in 31.1 minutes since the start of December.
His high level of play lately is good news for the Warriors both on and off the court. With the Feb. 18 trade deadline just over a month away, Maggette is providing general manager Larry Riley exactly what he needs — a reason for a team to take on Maggette and his contract, which has three years and more than $30 million left on it.
A couple of league executives and a Warriors source confirmed Maggette's value is on the rise. Teams in need of a boost from a proven veteran scorer might be more willing to take on his contract.
In addition to Maggette, the Warriors have more than $10 million worth of expiring contracts to use in a trade, and some excess at a couple positions.