Maggette welcomes Sterling’s support

Corey Maggette on Friday publicly thanked owner Donald T. Sterling for his support, saying Sterling’s strong comments about wanting Maggette to remain with the team “meant a lot to me.”

“You usually don’t hear stuff like that, so it’s gratifying to have your owner say something like that about you,” Maggette said. “There are definitely some positives you can take away from that.”

Sterling summoned General Manager Elgin Baylor, Coach Mike Dunleavy and Maggette to an impromptu meeting last Saturday near the bottom of the entrance ramp at Staples Center. The main topic of discussion: ongoing trade talks involving Maggette.

Sterling said he wanted the seven-year veteran to remain with the team, Maggette said he hoped to stay, and Baylor and Dunleavy agreed that few players available in trades could help the Clippers more than Maggette, according to Clippers officials familiar with the conversation.

The owner left the door ajar to trade the Clippers’ sixth man and second-leading scorer, telling Maggette he would permit Baylor and Dunleavy to move him in a deal that might improve the team significantly. But because of Sterling’s firm stance, the price for Maggette probably would be too high for most teams before the Feb. 22 trading deadline.

“What it says to me is that he appreciates the effort I put out to try to help this team win,” Maggette said. “That’s really all it’s about for me, trying to do whatever I can to help this team win games. He’s the owner, it’s obviously his team, so that can’t be a bad thing if that’s the way he feels.”

Meanwhile, the Clippers continued to deny published reports about their supposed involvement in a potential three-team trade that would bring All-Star swingman Vince Carter and rookie point guard Marcus Williams of the New Jersey Nets to Los Angeles.

The Clippers were not interested in trading Maggette and third-year point guard Shaun Livingston to the Nets, team sources said. Although the Clippers inquired about Carter and All-Star point guard Jason Kidd, the talks ended quickly because the teams determined they did not have a match.

In another trade scenario, the Memphis Grizzlies reportedly would send center Pau Gasol to the Nets, Memphis would get Maggette, New Jersey would acquire Livingston, and Carter and Williams would go to the Clippers.

That’s not going to happen, sources said, because the Clippers told the Nets they were not willing to include Livingston in the proposal. Carter has a salary of $15.1 million this season, which could put the Clippers into the luxury-tax threshold. Moreover, Carter could terminate the final season under his contract -- more than $16.3 million -- become a free agent after the season and sign with another team, leaving the Clippers with only Williams for Maggette and Livingston.

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TONIGHT

vs. Minnesota, 7:30, Channel 5

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 710.

Records -- Clippers 21-21, Timberwolves 20-22.

Record vs. Timberwolves -- 1-1.

Update -- Corey Maggette made a go-ahead, 17-foot shot with 4.8 seconds remaining in a 92-91 victory over Minnesota on Jan. 10 at the Target Center.

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jason.reid@latimes.com