Category: Golden State Warriors Blog

The Oakland Tribune (Carl Steward) reports: Maybe Baron Davis wasn’t as smart as so many of us thought. He threw away a great situation in a place where he was mostly revered and pampered for a little more money, only slightly more security and the foolish allure of playing in his hometown. That plan works if you’re going with the Lakers. But with the Clippers, particularly with Elton Brand and Corey Maggette now gone, B.D. probably just signed the death warrant on the rest of his career. He might as well be back in New Orleans. By next midseason, with the Clippers slogging through a 57-loss season, Davis will be miserable, bored, sullen out, of shape and probably injured.

The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent forward Corey Maggette to a contract, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

Maggette, 28, appeared in 70 games (65 starts) last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.01 steals in 35.7 minutes per contest.  He ranked 11th in the NBA in scoring, fourth in free throws made and sixth in free throws attempted, while shooting 45.8% (458-1,000 FG) from the field, 38.4% (78-203 3FG) from three-point range and 81.2% (553-681 FT) from the line.  Maggette, who established a new career high in three-point percentage last season, scored 30-or-more points eight times and tallied 20-or-more points 43 times – including in 38 of his final 44 games played.

“We are really excited to add a player of Corey’s ability to our team,” said Mullin.  “He’s been one of the most productive players in our league for the last several years and provides us with additional versatility and veteran leadership.”

A nine-year NBA veteran who has spent the last eight seasons with the Clippers, Maggette owns career averages of 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 29.1 minutes in 589 games with Orlando and Los Angeles.  The 6’6’’ 225-pound Maggette, who has averaged more than 20 points per game and led the Clippers in scoring three times in the last five seasons, had his finest NBA campaign in 2004-05, establishing career highs in scoring (22.2 ppg), rebounding (6.0 rpg) and assists (3.4 apg).  A career 81.9% shooter from the free throw line, the Duke University product has shot better than 80% from the stripe in each of the last seven seasons, while also ranking in the NBA’s top-five in free throws made and top-10 in free throws attempted in four of the last five seasons.

Maggette will wear uniform #50.

The San Francisco Chronicle (Janny Hu) reports on her blog: Flush with cap space after Davis’ sudden exit, the Warriors have offered free agent Elton Brand a five-year deal worth between $85 and $90 million, according to league source. Brand, like Davis, opted out of the final year of his contract just before Monday’s deadline, giving up a guaranteed $16.4 million for next season. At the time, Brand’s agent, David Falk, told reporters that the move was designed to create some cap flexibility for the Clippers to add another top-line player.

InsideHoops.com editor says: I think both Baron and Elton want to be in Los Angeles, to play together but also to further their careers in the movie industry, which can obviously be done easier as long as they are based near Hollywood. On the other hand, if Brand can make an extra $20 million playing for the Warriors, that money goes a long way.