Clippers have a funny way of ‘loving’ Maggette

THE CLIPPERS will tell you they just love Corey Maggette, and as for those recent rumors that they talked to Denver about trading him, why would anyone even suggest such a thing?

Well, for starters, take a look at the Clippers’ 2006-07 media guide, which features Elton Brand, Sam Cassell, Cuttino Mobley and Chris Kaman all standing together in the forefront, you know, like a team.

Then look beyond them, dragging up the rear and almost out of the picture -- it’s Maggette -- fading off into the distance.

That’s pretty much the way the Clippers have looked upon him since he arrived here seven years ago, making it somewhat perplexing then why they didn’t trade him during the off-season.

“In some ways, yeah, it’s a surprise I’m still here,” said Maggette, who began Saturday night’s game once again on the bench.

Coach Alvin Gentry started him only nine times the first season they were together, slow to grasp the explosive ability that Maggette has to turn games around in an instant. Gentry is now an assistant coach with Phoenix.

Now it’s Coach Mike Dunleavy, who doesn’t think Maggette has what it takes to start every game, and since Dunleavy will probably sign a new contract to remain here, Maggette will probably find a new home elsewhere.

Dunleavy stresses defense, insists only Brand is guaranteed a starting position and believes the team’s strength lies in its versatile players and his ability as a coach to control those moving pieces.

I maintain he’s nuts. Next thing you know he’s going to suggest he knows more than the sportswriters in town.

THE CLIPPERS trailed the Suns, 23-17, with 1 minute 32 seconds left in the first quarter when Dunleavy called on Maggette, and Maggette went on a rampage. The Clippers led by 13 points at the half after Maggette exploded to score 16 points.

I repeat, Dunleavy’s nuts. He has one of the most dynamic players in the NBA in a Clippers uniform, and he’s made a role player out of him. When the second half started, he had Maggette on the bench and Phoenix began rallying.

Maggette then got the call, and the Clippers went on to win by six with Maggette pouring in 23 points, and getting a dozen rebounds. Not bad for a benchwarmer.

Now as good as a coach as Dunleavy is, why dwell on Maggette’s defensive deficiencies when there’s always an offensive explosion waiting to happen?

“I try to do the right thing,” Maggette said when I asked him if there are differences between him and Dunleavy. “Sometimes it just doesn’t work out.”

Dunleavy said he doesn’t believe there are any issues between him and Maggette, but he also said, “I’m not worried about making people happy. There’s only one entity I want to make happy and that’s the team. And the team is happy if it’s not losing games.”

He said he has a track record of success when it comes to moving players in and out of the lineup depending on matchups, and just think how it would have gone had Kobe Bryant agreed to sign with the Clippers.

“The players are not going to dictate playing time with us,” Dunleavy said, and apparently the media also isn’t going to have a say. I did what I could for Gentry.

As for Maggette, he said starting isn’t a big deal, “but playing time is.”

He might have a whole lot more to say, but he said he won’t do anything to disrupt the Clippers’ chances of winning.

A year ago the Clippers were ready to trade him to Indiana for a defense-minded Ron Artest, but Maggette was hurt at the time, nixing the deal. Now it’s Denver talk.

“I don’t know if I’ll be here,” Maggette said. “That’s up to management. Professionally, I’m trying to do whatever I can to help. But of course I’m human. When I was 18 and with Orlando, I was told they were going to keep me and then they shipped me off. I learned early on -- this is business.”

It would seem to make good business to keep your best players.

“But you know what?” Maggette said. “My grandfather is a minister and he’s told me to be positive, be humble.”

Anyone who listens to their G.P. is all right in my book.

MAGGETTE AND his wife now have a 2-month-old son, Sergio Antonio. Maggette said “T.J. was the fifth choice when picking a name for the child,” which might come as a surprise to his wife when she reads the morning paper.

I’m not surprised no consideration was given to naming the kid, “Mike.”

DUNLEAVY SAID, “I love the fact the Lakers are 3-0 because I’m a Lakers’ fan.” I’ll let you decide whether he was joking.

TWENTY-FOUR more wins in a row for USC and they catch Oxy.

EVERY YEAR baseball free agency begins with reports the Dodgers are going after the really big names, and then they end up with Kenny Lofton.

So far, we’re being told, the Dodgers are pushing for Barry Zito, Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Lee and Aramis Ramirez.

I CHECKED with John Wooden to see if he’d be up again Monday morning to start the father-daughter gabfest with Uncle Fred on 570 with another poem. Like everyone else, I’m sure he was shocked to learn the show was still on the air.

He said he’d have a poem ready. I said that would be “just great,” and he said, “don’t exaggerate.” At 96, you can’t slip a thing past him.

TODAY’S LAST word comes in e-mail from Doug D.:

“Did you see where Mike Garrett called Chauncey Washington into his office? They finally lose one game and the A.D. is calling in the players? Those people have a serious problem.”

Serious problem? I wonder if the A.D. at UCLA has thought about calling someone into his office.

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T.J. Simers can be reached at

t.j.simers@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Simers, go to latimes.com/simers.