Sources differ on Nuggets offer to Maggette

Has Corey Maggette agreed to sign an offer sheet with the Denver Nuggets, or not?

That might depend on whom you believe over at ESPN.

On Friday, ESPN.com's Chad Ford cited two unnamed "league sources" in reporting that Maggette had agreed to accept a six-year, $42 million offer sheet from the Nuggets — an offer that, when signed, the Los Angeles Clippers would have 15 days to match, since Maggette is a restricted free agent under contract with them last season.

On Saturday, however, an ESPN.com story reported that "sources have told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that a Denver deal has yet to be offered or agreed to for the restricted free-agent forward."

So who is right?

We might not know until Wednesday, the first day NBA free agents are permitted to sign contracts and offer sheets.

Or maybe they're both right — sort of.

Also Saturday, the Rocky Mountain News in Denver cited "a source within the Nuggets" as saying "an offer is on the table but . . . the ESPN report was 'on the high side.' " And the Denver Post quoted Maggette's agent as saying no deal was done and that his client still was drawing "interest from other clubs."

In any case, Maggette's status has ramifications for the Jazz in that he is one of about a half-dozen free agents being targeted by Utah.

The Jazz are believed to still be talking with agents for power forward Elton Brand and point guard Andre Miller of the Clippers, along with those representing Indiana center Brad Miller and Atlanta combo guard Jason Terry.

The Rocky Mountain News also reported that "the notoriously frugal Clippers apparently are poised to match offers for Maggette and forwards . . . Brand and Lamar Odom, (but) Los Angeles appears willing to let . . . Andre Miller leave, with Utah and Denver being the leading candidates."

Miller, the former University of Utah star, and Maggette both visited Jazz officials in Salt Lake last week.

---

E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com