Report says Clips' Maggette headed to Nuggets

Scratch Corey Maggette from the Jazz's wish list.

Maggette, one of about a half-dozen young NBA free agents targeted by the Jazz this offseason, reportedly has agreed to sign with the Denver Nuggets.

Citing two unnamed "league sources," ESPN.com's Chad Ford reported Friday that the 6-foot-6 swingman has agreed to accept a six-year, $42 million offer sheet from the Nuggets.

Because Maggette is a restricted free agent, his most-recent team, the Los Angeles Clippers, would have 15 days from the time the sheet is signed to match the offer. If the Clippers did not match, Maggette is free to go to Denver.

Wednesday is the first day this summer that NBA free agents can sign contracts or offer sheets.

The Jazz considered extending an offer sheet to Maggette themselves, and even brought him and his agent in to Salt Lake for a visit with head coach Jerry Sloan and basketball operations senior vice president Kevin O'Connor just last Tuesday.

Utah envisioned Maggette becoming its starting shooting guard, stepping in to the spot held last season by veteran Calbert Cheaney, now a free agent himself. Denver, though, seemed to be his Maggette's first choice all along, evidently making it easy for him to decide to accept the offer sheet from the Nuggets.

Maggette's decision could also adversely influence Utah's chances at landing Clippers power forward Elton Brand, another restricted free agent being hotly pursued by the Jazz.

Maggette and Brand are supposedly close, and it is thought the Jazz's chances at getting Brand to sign an offer sheet might be better if Maggette had been willing to come to Utah.

The Nuggets also are interested in a couple of point guards being pursued by the Jazz, Golden State's Gilbert Arenas and ex-University of Utah star Andre Miller of the Clippers.

HUNDLEY SENTENCED: Longtime Jazz radio and TV play-by-play voice "Hot Rod" Hundley pleaded no contest to a DUI charge earlier this week in Salt Lake County Justice Court. Hundley, however, will do not any jail time, Jazz communications vice president Dave Allred said.

Rather, Hundley was sentenced 30 days in jail, 28 of which were suspended; 48 hours of community service, in lieu of the remaining two days in jail; and $1,850 in fines, $650 of which were suspended.

Hundley, who has called Jazz games since the franchise was located in New Orleans, was arrested last September after failing sobriety tests following a traffic stop near Wasatch Boulevard and 5600 South.

DANTLEY HIRED: According to a Denver Post report, the Nuggets have hired former Jazz star Adrian Dantley as a player development coach. Dantley, a six-time NBA All-Star, averaged 29.6 points in 461 games for the Jazz from 1979-86.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com