His choice, his destiny, his future -- Corey Maggette, finally and firmly, controls them all.

Maggette, 28, a hardscrabble small forward capable of getting to the rim and the foul line frequently, is the longest-tenured player on the Clippers. But the signs are that he will opt out of the final season of his six-year, $42-million contract after this season, to test the free agent market.

So, is Maggette coming or going?

"I've been here the longest out of any player on our team, and every time I see the good, the bad, the ugly," he said. "There's going to be a good day, and if I'm here when that happens, I would love to be here."

Maggette has played on only one winning team in his eight seasons as a Clipper. Slowly, but surely, he is watching another individually solid season slip by the wayside.

This season he is averaging a team-high 22.4 points, better than his previous career high of 22.2 points, plus 5.7 rebounds per game. Top that off with a 38.3% shooting average from the three-point line -- another career high -- and this is one of his best years.

Last summer Maggette declined a three-year, $25.5-million extension by the Clippers. His agent, Rob Pelinka, also represents Kobe Bryant.

But Clippers owner Donald T. Sterling and Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor have repeatedly stated their desire to keep Maggette, both crediting him for his hard play.

That workmanlike-mentality was grounded early, said Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers, who coached the Magic nine years ago when Maggette was a rookie. "I remember early on, Corey just felt that because he was a high draft pick, that he was going to play and he didn't," Rivers said. "He went from that to being one of the hardest workers in our practices, and I think that's where he's changed."

Alvin Gentry, now a Suns assistant, became the beneficiary of that effort as the Clippers head coach when Maggette blossomed. "The one thing about Corey is, you are never going to have to talk to him about playing hard," Gentry said. "He plays as hard as anyone in the league."

Five years ago Maggette almost left the Clippers. He signed a Utah Jazz offer sheet, only to be yanked back when the Clippers matched it. And he has been dogged by trade speculation ever since.

Maggette is expected to be an attractive player if he becomes a free agent this summer. The Clippers can offer him a larger contract than any other team and tack on an additional year. The Miami Heat -- who may also target Elton Brand, if he opts out of his contract -- and the Memphis Grizzlies are among the few teams expected to have enough salary cap space to make a decent bid.

"The [salary] range is already set for him, and no matter what happens to him, that range is going to be pretty good," Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said. "The only thing he has to worry about, really, is injury."

Last summer, free agent Rashard Lewis landed a maximum contract with a six-year, $118.5-million deal with the Magic.

The 6-foot-6 Maggette has averaged 20-plus points a game in three seasons, but he's never been an All-Star and various coaches and players say privately that he is not a "max" salary player.

One Western Conference coach said of Maggette: "His defense is below average, and he is a 'crash' player on offense -- he just throws his body at the basket and tries to draw a foul."

Maggette does draw fouls, though. He's scored about 35% of his career points from the line, the third-highest percentage in NBA history for players with at least 7,000 points, according to Stats LLC. Kobe Bryant, by comparison, has scored 26% of his points from free-throws.

A Western Conference scout cited Maggette's quick first step and athleticism as his major strengths, but that teams can play off him because his jump shot isn't steady. "He sees the game through his concerns first," the scout said. "It's fairly common among NBA players, but dangerous if taken too far with your leaders of the team. He's been better this year than in past seasons and this says a lot, since they needed him more with Brand out."

Concerns remain over how Maggette will fit into next year's Clippers team. If Brand returns, along with rapidly developing forward Al Thornton and center Chris Kaman -- they will all be looking for the basketball.

There's also his sometimes tenuous relationship with Dunleavy.

Last summer a deal for Dallas Mavericks point guard Jason Terry in exchange for Maggette was discussed, partly because Dunleavy was worried about losing Maggette to free agency. But Sterling rejected the deal.

Dunleavy said that issues between them over Maggette's role on the team are in the past. Still, he would still like to see Maggette become a better defender.

"You look at [Corey's] body and you think that he could be a defensive stopper, and that's one of the things we would like him to continue working on," Dunleavy said.

Said Maggette: "At the end of the day, if I'm going to be here, it's because of the loyalty from the fans, the general manager and the owner. We'll see."

jonathan.abrams@latimes.com