Spurs: Bowen for Maggette?

By Bill Ingram

for HOOPSWORLD.com
Dec 12, 2006, 09:30


It's no coincidence that the San Antonio Spurs have been at or near the top of the NBA in all defensive categories for the past six seasons. Tim Duncan has been a big part of that, sure, but the man who universally gets credit for spearheading the top defensive team in the league is Bruce Bowen. His tenure with the Spurs has seen his name become synonymous with defense - and he has championship rings to prove it.

Corey Maggette brings a lot to the table, but a defensive stopper he is not. He's a relentless force offensively, sacrificing life and limb to get the basket - often sacrificing open teammates in the process. To his credit Maggette has been positive in the locker room despite his desire to be a starter. He comes off the bench and fires the Clippers' second unit without much complaint. He is a special part of the chemistry Mike Dunleavy has found in Los Angeles, and the team will not easily part with that chemistry.

It's a stretch to say the Spurs would part with Bowen, no matter who the rumor mill might find to come back in exchange. Bowen brings much more to the table than the boxscore records, and his tough-minded defense of players like Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, and Tracy McGrady makes him invaluable to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. It doesn't hurt that he can drain that coffin-corner three when the defense focuses too much attention on Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker.

For their part, the Clippers aren't really looking to move Maggette - and if they were they probably wouldn't be looking for a Bruce Bowen type of player. If they were to trade him it would only be for a player who might fill a certain niche, and probably an ending contract veteran. That said, Mike Dunleavy is not a fan of Maggette's game in particular. If he could land a playmaker he might consider tampering with the chemistry - but Bowen is not a playmaker.

At the end of the day it's Maggette and his agent who are the source of any trade rumors regarding the Clippers' forward. Maggette would like to start; his agent would like him to be in a position to land a top-dollar contract when his contract expires in three seasons. That's not likely to happen in LA, where they will have just signed Shaun Livingston to a fat contract the year before.

Corey Maggette for Bruce Bowen? Don't hold your breath. Bowen is too valuable to the Spurs and Maggette is only on the trading block in his agent's mind. If the right deal comes along the Clippers might part with their small forward; the right deal doesn't exist for the Spurs to part with their defensive catalyst.

Rest easy, Spurs fans. Bowen stays.

With all do respcet to Bowen I'll do that trade any day.Bowen is 35 and only has two years left to play.Yes he is the best defender in the league but he really is limited on offense.

I know that there are other players which scores so Bruce doesn't need to score but another scoring option is never a bad thing.

Maggette is 27 and is an amazing talent.He can scores,slash and at 6'6,225 lbs he is can play and guard fowards with no problem.

Maggette will be a perfect with Tony and Manu on the fast break and will create scoring options for other shooters.

But it will never happen.

Maggette is injured too much. Bowen has played almost 100 more games than Corey since 02-03.

Maggette also makes significantly more, $7 million this season in comparison to Bowen's modest (by NBA standards) $3.7 million. In order for the Spurs to make this deal they would have to include someone else like Horry, Finley or Elson. That would be way too much to give up for Magette in my opionion. Eric Williams would work too but I don't know if the Clippers would be willing to do that unless Sterling is just getting cheap again.

I would give up Bowen and either Horry or Finley for Maggette in a heartbeat; no way can they have Elson though.

No one is good enough trade for a Bruce...Without him, we would not have had our last two championships! He's the BEST perimeter defender, and out team's strength lies in DEFENSE...He's in great shape and will play for at least a few more years. He said that he has no plans of retiring...He has the record for the most consecutive games, being a starter ALWAYS, defending Kobe, Dirk, Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Vince...who else can defend them better than him? no one!!!

I wouldn't trade ANYONE for Bruce!!! He's way too valuable...

Maggette would be perfect for the Spurs...if we're trying to become the Phoenix Suns.

"Defense wins championships" isn't just some trite saying. Remember when we got our asses handed to us by the Lakers in 2001? That was one year before Bowen joined the team, and in that series we had nobody to keep Kobe in check. Bowen is a defensive specialist and brings a lot more to the team that aren't reflected in neat, pretty little numbers. Kobe himself has said on more than one occassion that Bruce is hands down his toughest defender. I would not like this trade one bit if it went down.

Where the heck did this rumor come from?

I think sometimes writers just make up stuff to get their name in the paper.

Pure conjecture and speculation, folks. Move along, nothing to see here.....

tphuey wrote:Where the heck did this rumor come from?

I think sometimes writers just make up stuff to get their name in the paper.

Pure conjecture and speculation, folks. Move along, nothing to see here.....

Just saw that this rumor came from HOOPSworld...nuff said.

Stofe wrote:

tphuey wrote:Where the heck did this rumor come from?

I think sometimes writers just make up stuff to get their name in the paper.

Pure conjecture and speculation, folks. Move along, nothing to see here.....

Just saw that this rumor came from HOOPSworld...nuff said.

He pretty much admits in the article that neither team may be willing to make such a trade. And yes Hoopsworld has a less than stellar reputation in regards to accuracy.

I wish something like this could happen in real life.

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/t ... 2~12~24~24