Wed Jul 02 10:25am EDT Corey Maggette has one thing left to learn By Kelly Dwyer (I love that picture. You think they're discussing opt-out clauses?) Adrian
Wojnarowski is reporting that the San Antonio Spurs are the front-runners
to obtain Corey Maggette's services, and that he'd take in the full mid-level
exception from San Antonio,
and there's very little not to like about it. The 2007 champs can use a dash of
athleticism, somebody else to finish on the break, and another competent
shooter. Maggette doesn't need another huge payday, and will be taking less
money to play big minutes for a championship contender. Good on him. 
There's one major thing that Corey needs to work on,cheap air force 1, and I
say this knowing full well that - as a player who will turn 29 this November -
Corey more or less is what he is at this stage. That's why I'm not mentioning
is iffy defense. This will make or break the signing, however: In order to
seamlessly fit in San Antonio's
offense, as likely a third or fourth option most of the time,air force shoes, Maggette is going
to have to learn how to shoot from the corners of the court.
Corey can shoot, he's streaky,air force one shoes, but the stroke is there and
teams have to guard him. But if you're to play the small forward spot in Gregg
Popovich's, even in a point-forward capacity as Brent Barry has at times,
you're going to have to nail that corner trey. Because that's where Coach Pop
sticks you. And Maggette rarely sticks to that spot.
What's odd is that I've long known Maggette as one of the
few NBA players that appears to love that "tough-angled" (to quote Marv Albert)
shot from the far elbow extended, especially on the left side of the court.
Because he's such an adept right-hand driver, and downright miserable with his
left, Corey is allowed room to shoot 25 feet from the basket, he seems to take
that pull up three-pointer more than any other player in the league from that
spot, and he knocks in a ton of them.
Luckily, I have NBA.com's
Hot Spots data to re-assure me that I'm not crazy. Maggette went 32-60 (53
percent) from that spot on the left side of the court last year, as opposed to
hitting 33 percent from the straight away three-pointer, and 30.8 percent from
the right elbow extended.
Damning for Spurs fans, however, is his marks from the shorter
and easier spot in the corner. Maggette hit 6-16 (37.5 percent) from the left
corner (which technically includes part of the 23' 9" inch location according
to NBA.com, which accounts for his solid mark), but shot just five
three-pointers from the right corner last year, making one.
Now, part of this has a lot to do with Mike Dunleavy's
offense, which loves to stick an athletic wing in the left corner and have him
either attempt a long shot or drive baseline, but that shouldn't warm the
hearts of Spurs fans. As we've seen with Sean Elliott, Bruce Bowen, and Brent
Barry for years, San Antonio
coach Gregg Popovich loves to employ the same ideals,air force ones, while sticking his small
forward in the same spot and not having him drive much from it.
Bruce Bowen, it should be said,cheap air force 1, shot 83-195 combined from
both corners last year, a killer 42.6 mark. Bowen may have been an offensive
zero everywhere else, but that's an incredible potent thing to be able to boast
at a position that is sometimes an offensive afterthought.
We're not saying this a bum signing or something that will
hurt San Antonio.
Far from it. Picking up a player like Corey for the average salary, even if it
is an uneasy fit at times, is a fantastic move for San Antonio. And if he doesn't pan out, then
his MLE salary will be easy to move. We'd rather not see that, however. Still, Maggette's
7-21 mark from the corners in 2007-08 has to improve. Has to.