Golden State Warriors: Corey Maggette Might Fit, But What About the Future?

Second, to reinforce the point that Maggette is a pure scorer, while he averages 5.6 rebounds per game, which is among the top small forwards, his rebound rate is much lower. Rebound rate is the percentage of missed shots that a player rebounds. Maggette ranked 37th among small forwards, whereas Davis ranked 11th among point guards. Other players on the roster may make up for this, but Maggette’s rebounding might be overrated.  

Third, he’s also injury-prone, having missed 19 games over the last two years. That might not seem like a big deal until you consider that the Warriors have either squeaked in or been squeezed out of the playoffs right at the end of the last two seasons. Losing a starter for 19 games is much more significant on a team that thinks they can make the playoffs.

The Verdict: A good role player on a contender  In the end, the fact that the Warriors won 48 games last year and missed the playoffs looms large in the case of Maggette. A contender can use a “bowling ball” to get some quick points every now and then. However, a lottery team looking toward the future could possibly invest more wisely.  In the short-term, this could be a reasonable move. The Warriors add a much more efficient scorer who likes to shoot, and Nelson will undoubtedly give him that. He also provides another player who can penetrate and put pressure on the defense.  

However, part of the reason Baron’s departure excited me is that it gave the Warriors’ young players an opportunity to be more involved in the offense without a ball stopper.They would have had an opportunity to learn from their mistakes and develop into a cohesive unit as they continue developing individually. Inserting another ball stopper who wants to be a starter into the lineup is therefore questionable.  

One way to put this perspective is by way of comparison: Maggette’s stats are somewhat similar to Jason Richardson’s. There are a few small differences—Richardson is a much more efficient ball handler and Maggette better at getting himself to the free throw line. Richardson is a better three point shooter, Maggette is a better overall shooter.Maggette is a better rebounder, Richardson puts up better defensive numbers (but really, if you’re looking to either of these guys for defense, you’re in trouble).

Maggette and Richardson are reasonably similar players in terms of output. They just play different positions.  So if we accept that comparison, I’m sure Warriors fans haven’t yet forgotten where Richardson led the team without Davis: right to the lottery. So unless Monta Ellis is able to fill the void that Davis left at point, this seems like a lateral move at best and a poor use of cap room at its worst.

For a team looking to the future, we can only hope there are more moves coming or that contract is worth less than initially reported.

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