If the Clippers do indeed actually sign Davis and retain Brand as well, they wouldn't have the financial wherewithal to also keep Maggette — and they would have to renounce their rights to him.

If that's indeed the case, it means Maggette would be an unrestricted free agent — and the Clippers would not be able to involve him in a sign-and-trade to facilitate sending him elsewhere.

And that may make it tougher for the Jazz to actually land Maggette, as the only way they or any other capped-out club could sign him to a deal worth more than mid-level money would be if they involved him in a sign-and-trade as a restricted free agent.

Maggette, who averaged 22.1 points per game last season, played the first of his nine NBA seasons in Orlando before moving to the Clippers.

The Orlando Sentinel also reported that Maggette "has told friends that he hoped the Magic would make him a competitive offer, welcoming a return to Orlando."

Maggette is represented by Rob Pelinka, who also works as the agent for Jazz All-Star power forward and fellow Duke University product Carlos Boozer.

---

E-mail: tbuckleyh@desnews.com