Corey Maggette

Maggette was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics but was later traded to the Orlando Magic on draft night along with Dale Ellis, Don MacLean, and Billy Owens for Horace Grant and 2nd round draft picks from the 2000 and 2001 drafts. As a rookie in 1999–2000, he averaged 8.4 points and 3.9 rebounds over 77 games and scored a season-high 20 points on January 3 against the Detroit Pistons.[4]

On June 28, 2000, Maggette was traded, along with Keyon Dooling, Derek Strong, and cash considerations, to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for a 2006 first-round pick. During his career with the Clippers, Maggette, whose teammates nicknamed him "Maximus,[5]" established himself as a solid forward and developed into a perennial 15+ per game scorer. He became known for excellent jumping ability as well as his propensity to create contact and get to the free throw line – he was consistently among the league leaders in free throws attempted and made. Maggette participated in the Slam Dunk Contest at the 2001 NBA All-Star Weekend and experienced a good year in 2004–05, touting career-highs in points, rebounds, assists and free throw percentage. Bothered by a nagging foot injury, he sat out much of the 2005–06 season. On April 22, 2006, Maggette and his teammates helped the Clippers win their first NBA playoff game in 13 years by defeating the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of their first-round match-up. Two days later, the team won their second playoff game, going 2–0 against an opponent for the first time in franchise history. On May 1, 2006, they defeated the Nuggets in Game 5 and, as a result, their first playoff series since they moved from Buffalo. In the Western Conference semifinals, the Clippers faced the Phoenix Suns and lost in seven games. In a series-saving 118–106 Game 6 win over the Suns, Maggette came off the bench to score 25 points while shooting 7-of-8 shooting from the field and 9-of-9 from the free throw line – the best playoff performance of his career.[6]

Maggette returned strongly during the 2006–07 season despite an alleged feud with coach Mike Dunleavy. Maggette had a career-high night against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 12, 2007, scoring 39 points to secure a 118–110 victory after recovering from a 17-point deficit.[7]

On June 30, 2008, Maggette opted out of the final year of his contract with the Clippers and officially became an unrestricted free agent.[8]

On July 10, 2008, Maggette signed a five-year, $50 million contract with the Golden State Warriors.[9] Upon signing with the Warriors, general manager Chris Mullin said of Maggette, "He gets his points and rebounds. But I just think it's his approach to the work and his lifestyle that will be a huge benefit for our young guys. They can watch him, see how he approaches it and maybe they can emulate him."[10]

Playing a sixth man role for the Warriors, Maggette averaged 19.3 points and 5.4 rebounds in 121 games over two seasons for the franchise.

On June 22, 2010, Maggette was traded, along with a 2010 second-round pick, to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Charlie Bell and Dan Gadzuric.[11] On January 28, 2011, he recorded season-highs with 29 points and 11 rebounds in a 116-110 win over the Toronto Raptors.[12]

On June 23, 2011, Maggette was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats as part of a three-team deal that also involved the Sacramento Kings.[13][14] He managed just 32 games for the Bobcats in the lockout-shortened season, scoring a season-high 29 points on March 6, 2012 against the Orlando Magic.[15]

On June 26, 2012, Maggette was traded to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Ben Gordon and a future first-round draft pick.[16][17] After missing the first eight games of the 2012–13 season while nursing a calf injury suffered in preseason, Maggette made his Pistons debut on November 14, recording 9 points and 3 assists off the bench in a 94-76 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. He managed to play the next 17 games before being sitting out the rest of the season from mid-December onwards due to personal reasons mixed with not being played by coach Lawrence Frank and citing his lack of interest in the game.[18]

Following the 2012–13 season, he became a free agent and subsequently signed a training camp deal with the San Antonio Spurs on September 30, 2013.[19] However, he was later waived by the Spurs on October 15 after appearing in two preseason games.[20] He later retired from basketball after 14 years in the NBA.[21]