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Maggette said he had no idea that a push toward the future is why he has been benched for 45 consecutive games since the Pistons acquired him last year by trading Ben Gordon to Charlotte. "No one told me anything," he said. Is he bitter? Deep down, probably. He certainly isn't going to say as much. He became a wealthy man playing a child's game. Too many NBA players lose sight of that fact. Maggette hasn't. Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

"We're blessed," he said. "We make a lot of money to run up and down a court and shoot a leather ball into an iron hoop." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

"You see me every day," Maggette said. "I'm working -- working with the young guys, out on the court, in the weight room, doing everything I can do to be able to play on this team. But situations happen the way they're going to happen. Do I know why? No. Is there a reason why I shouldn't be playing? No. It's tough, because I am a competitor. But there's nothing I can do about it. "I'm not going to talk bad about my situation because it's not professional. It's not what you're supposed to do. To me, the thing is just to keep working. A professional, to me, is helping the young guys, who are able to make me better. And working with Arnie (Kander, strength and conditioning coach) has been great. It's really helped my body out." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

Corey Maggette was probably being a little sarcastic when he thanked Pistons coach Lawrence Frank for saving his "body this year." But after riding the Pistons' bench for most of this season, Maggette said he definitely wants to play next season. "Right now I've had a full year recovering and working with (strength and conditioning coach Arnie Kander)," he told the Free Press on Friday. "We'll see what happens." Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

Maggette even raised the possibility of resuming the role with the Pistons next season. "Another option still is for me to be a veteran for these guys and come back here another year," he said. "That's another possibility because we have a lot of young talent here and still need a veteran to talk to, and I know I've gained the respect of those guys and I'll be able to do that. "We'll see what happens after that." Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

The Pistons are open to a return engagement. The organization likes Maggette's positive influence despite a lack of playing time. Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

Pistons officials also insist there is still a market for Maggette around the league, which makes his dismissal of a possible buyout of the rest of his deal to go sign with another team kind of eye-opening. Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

Swingman Corey Maggette , despite having not played in the past two months, said he hasn't thought about approaching the team for a buyout so he could seek employment with a playoff team. "No, not at all," Maggette said when asked. "I don't even know how it works." Detroit News

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

"Hmm. No, I haven't thought about it," Maggette said. "I like management here and I'm still able to help the young guys, that's been my MO with this season." Detroit News

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

The Grizzlies want a small forward out of the trade and Detroit has two believed to be available: Tayshaun Prince and Corey Maggette. But Memphis, sources said, is talking to at least one other team about taking on Calderon and is expected to receive a second-round pick from Toronto as part of the deal. The Raptors, sources said, are expected to take on Grizzlies reserve center Hamed Haddadi in addition to Gay. ESPN.com

Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Rudy Gay, Corey Maggette, Tayshaun Prince, Hamed Haddadi 

And rumors. And more questions and rumors for a six-week period, until the trade deadline in late February. He's so used to it, it almost feels like he has been traded, although he's never gotten that call from Bill Duffy, his agent, or Pistons president Joe Dumars, the man who drafted him more than a decade ago. "Look at Corey Maggette, they probably feel like I feel and I haven't been traded," said Prince of his teammate, who's been traded five times since 1999. "They're like, 'I know what time it is, I know the situation', and I feel the same way because I've been through this in the last five years. It's a 'been there done that' thing." Detroit News

Detroit Pistons, Trade, Corey Maggette, Tayshaun Prince 

The Pistons' angle on the move is clear: Daye, who is playing on an expiring contract, either has to give the team some reason to keep him, or create enough value for the team to trade him. Yahoo! Sports, citing an unnamed source, said the Pistons actively are shopping Daye. That leaves the 14th-year veteran Maggette on the outside. "At the end of the day, you've just got to stay as professional as possible through this process," he said. "I know what I can do. I know my ability. I haven't really gotten the opportunity this entire year to do that. But also, this is where they might be moving in a direction where they want to develop the younger guys. "In every aspect, you've just got to try to be a professional in every way. Do I agree with it? No, as a competitor you can't agree with it. But as a professional, I accept what he (Frank) told me, and that's how you have to approach it." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

Maggette said he hasn't pondered whether he might be involved in a deal with the Feb. 21 trade deadline still two months away. "That's management's control. I have no control over that," he said. "But you see me and I'm the same way every day. My attitude won't change. And that's the way you have to be in any situation. You have to stay professional." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

Maggette, who has become a mentor for several younger Pistons, said he sees value in teaching through his own response to the demotion. "This is only the short part of this," he said. "I always think long term. That's why I can be at peace with any decision they make, because I know that, in some capacity, there's always the next opportunity. "I just want our guys to have a positive attitude. Every guy on the team wants to play, believes they should play. It's tough for coach to make a decision, it's tough for J.D. (Dumars) to make a decision, and somebody's going to get the short end of the stick. At this time in my career, I'm getting the short end of the stick." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

Maggette, in his 14th NBA season, was non-committal Wednesday when asked if he might play a 15th. With his contract expiring after this season and his next one not likely to have the same value, retirement is a strong possibility. Just in case, he has an idea of what he might do next. "Who knows what will happen? Who knows? I might be a guy that might be in a front-office position," Maggette said. "I'm already preparing myself for that as I finish this career. "The biggest thing is to worry about what's going on now and let the future take care of itself. We don't even know if we're going to wake up tomorrow." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

That's where Maggette does some of his best networking with his new teammates and discovered, not surprisingly to him, that Singler didn't require much encouragement. "I don't need to talk to the guy," Maggette said. "He's prepared. He's studying. He's doing his homework just because he's a smart guy, intellectually." Singler, inserted into the starting lineup for the first time after Rodney Stuckey missed the trip with the flu, had 16 points and four rebounds in 40 minutes of playing time as the 1-8 Pistons got their first win, 94-76 over the Philadelphia 76ers. It prompted a couple of quick nicknames. Greg Monroe has taken to calling Singler "Bucket Man.""I call him 'K-Smooth,'" Maggette disclosed. "K-Smooth played tremendous." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette 

With an alley-oop from Will Bynum at Tuesday's practice, Pistons swingman Corey Maggette effectively cleared the final hurdle in his calf injury. "It's better," he said." His explosiveness was there, he said, and he's optimistic he'll make his debut tonight against the 76ers. "I think so," he said. "I think the biggest thing is just conditioning. It's going to take awhile just getting back into game condition, but at the end of the day, it's up to Arnie (Kander)." Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette, Injuries 

With the Pistons in the midst of four games in five nights, leaving them unable to practice fully until next Tuesday, it is unlikely that Maggette will play until next week. "I'm not putting a guy out there until I see him practice and how he reacts to that," Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said. "I wouldn't do that. "I won't eliminate it without giving it thought. But typically, in those situations, barring something, unless I see something -- we do have an opportunity to work out and do some different things, shootaround-wise, to get to a gym -- but it's hard for me to be able to give the thumbs-up when you don't see a guy in live time. I just don't believe the first practice is going to be in a game." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette, Injuries 

Vincent Ellis: Corey Maggette said Stuckey is dealing with an ear infection. Had been describes "migraines." #Pistons Twitter @Vincent_Ellis56

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette, Rodney Stuckey 

Injured Detroit Pistons forward Corey Maggette is showing progress as he rehabilitates a strained calf muscle that caused him to miss the final three games of the preseason as well as Wednesday night's season opener against the Houston Rockets. But when he returns is still a bit of a mystery. He hopes to be back in the lineup during the Pistons six-game road trip that begins Friday night in Phoenix. Nothing, however, is certain. "I'm not going to say," Maggette said after practice Thursday. "I don't know if I'm going to play on the trip. Hopefully, I will. "Like I said, one day at a time." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette, Injuries