The Los Angeles Clippers developed a reputation over the years of acquiring talented players via trade or the draft only to let them walk when they became free agents. The pattern was so pervasive that it actually became a running joke around the league. All of that changed in 2004, when Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling committed to shell out over $100 million to keep Corey Maggette and Elton Brand in Los Angeles.
That same trend continued on the eve of the 2006-07 campaign, when the team committed over $50 million to center Chris Kaman. Although not a huge money contract, the organization also did what it needed to do to ensure that point guard and team leader Sam Cassell was signed, sealed, and delivered in the summer of 2006 when the Denver Nuggets were hot on his trail.
Even though it seems like just yesterday the Los Angeles Clippers made their big money commitment to Elton Brand and Corey Maggette, both players have a player option at the end of this season Thus far, the two forwards have remained silent with regard to whether or not they plan to exercise their options and test the free agent market.
It would seem that Corey Maggette would be more likely than Elton Brand to test the market for a few reasons. First, Corey Maggette's initial deal was much less than Elton Brand's, meaning that if he were to opt out, he wouldn't be leaving as much money on the table as Elton Brand would be. Elton Brand is due over $16 million in 2008-09, while Corey Maggette is due just over $8 million. Second, trade rumors surrounded Corey Maggette for most of last season with many pundits believing that it was a virtual certainty he would be moved. Even though the Los Angeles Clippers ultimately didn't trade him, the rumors at the very least show that the team has begun to ponder life without him. Finally, Al Thornton, a rookie the Los Angeles Clippers are very high on, has a very similar game to Corey Maggette's. And since Thornton is in the first year of his rookie deal, he will come at a much cheaper rate than the veteran Corey Maggette.
Corey Maggette has been a class act throughout his time in the league, and he recently had this to say when I asked him the possibility of leaving LA: "I'm always happy to be (in Los Angeles). That's never changed. With the trade rumors, it's just part of management and what they're going to do anyway. I have no control over that. My job is just to go out there and play as hard as I can. You know, the fans of Los Angeles have been great to me so I just can't let them down. You've got to keep doing what you're doing, and whatever's going to happen is going to happen and just stay positive."
While Maggette's status for next season seems uncertain, history has shown players rarely opt out of a max-deal, which is what Elton Brand signed in the summer of 2004. Moreover, players coming off a serious injury such as Elton Brand is, also very rarely test the market when they don't have to. The moral of this story is that you can expect Elton Brand back in LA next season.
The one guy really hoping the Los Angeles Clippers bring back both Elton Brand and Corey Maggette is the aforementioned Chris Kaman, who after signing a contract extension will be a Clipper for the foreseeable future.
"You know what? A lot of that isn't up to me and my teammates; it's mostly the management and the staff," Chris Kaman explained, echoing Corey Maggette. "But it would be great to be able to keep both those guys and continue the success we've had in the past. Hopefully, they can take care of everything the right way and the team does them right. We'll see how it goes, but you can't really control that as a player."
Even though the 2007-08 season is just getting started, there's no doubt the summer of 2008 will have important ramifications with regard to the future of the franchise. It should be an interesting one for all of the citizens who reside in Clipper Nation.
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