Team is still waiting to hear from the Kings about Artest

The Clippers would prefer to trade Corey Maggette to the Sacramento Kings for Ron Artest, but they’re not waiting by the phone.

The Kings contacted the Clippers last Friday to gauge the Clippers’ interest in acquiring Artest, but as of Wednesday night had not made a formal trade proposal, Clippers sources said.

So the Clippers continued to consider potential deals with other teams involving Maggette, who is expected to be traded somewhere soon because of his poor relationship with Coach Mike Dunleavy.

Other than a potential Artest-Maggette deal, the Clippers haven’t been overwhelmed with the players teams have proposed offering for Maggette, who averaged at least 20 points a game in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons.

The Clippers could have acquired a first-round pick for Maggette in the last draft but weren’t interested because that draft wasn’t considered as strong or deep as the 2007 draft.

If the Clippers were only building for the future, they might move Maggette for some of the young players teams have supposedly made available in exchange for the seven-year veteran.

The Clippers, however, are focused on the present.

Despite their disappointing 12-16 start, the Clippers said they still expect to qualify for the Western Conference playoffs.

The Clippers want a productive veteran for Maggette, preferably an efficient long-range shooter who has a high basketball IQ. But is Maggette’s trade value high enough to help the Clippers acquire a difference-maker?

Maggette was the centerpiece of the Clippers’ offer for Allen Iverson, who Philadelphia traded to Denver. Maggette alone, so far, apparently isn’t enough for the Clippers to get Artest from Sacramento.

The Clippers top decision-makers are in agreement that it’s time to trade Maggette. What’s still unclear is where he’s headed.

jason.reid@latimes.com