After he and Baron essentially swapped uniforms, I’ve had a running bet with a friend on which one of these hired guns would get hurt first. Looks like I was wrong, and I owe him a steak dinner (Sizzler anyone?). Our 29 year-old swingman appears to have made the first pit-stop. With the Warriors looking pretty abysmal as it is, I can’t say that I’m all that upset/disappointed by this news. I really do NOT enjoy watching Corey play. His game is boring and predictable. He has no flair for the dramatic. Sure he can dunk reasonably well (though unimaginatively), and he shoots a lot of free throws, but he lacks the intangibles, that something-else-that-brings-you-to-the-arena that really captures a sports fan’s imagination.

Sports is about hope and potential. The hope of an improbable upset or a charmed playoff run. The potential of a young high-flyer leading even younger high-flyers to the promised land. That’s why we’re fans. Not to see Magettee and Jamal Crawford do all the things they’ve done throughout their long careers to get people falsely excited, only to cruelly disappoint them soon after.

No doubt the ramifications of Maggette’s new, bad contract will put our favorite Oakland team in a dangerous position. It will require both Chris Mullin’s eventual replacement and Robert Rowell’s ego to do some creative accounting and intense finger-crossing. It will be the albatross around the Warriors’ neck. It will suck.

But at least this means, for a while, we’ll be seeing a lot more of the younger guys out there.

I never wish injury upon any player, but I look forward to watching the young W’s consistently amaze and frustrate on consecutive plays as their potential manifests itself to the highest and lowest degrees.

Through 25 games, Maggette has played in 16, or about 64% of the Warriors’ total games, which is slightly lower than his career rate of playing in 79% of his team’s games.

He has received about $1.6 million in the 16 games he has played and in those games the Warriors have a 3-13 record.

He has received about $900,000 in the 9 games he has missed and in those games the Warriors have a 4-5 record.

Only on the Warriors could an accountant not only be making basketball decisions, but be making decisions where the numbers simply don’t add up.

CM: No problem, man. I woulda done it sooner but I’m still getting settled, moving in.

OW: You got a place yet?

CM: Stayin’ out in Blackhawk.

OW: Nice.

CM: Yeah, I’m likin’ it. It’s like Newport, where I was livin’ when I played down there, but without the ocean.

OW: Except the mommies are 40 instead of 27.

CM: (laughing, nodding) Yeah.

OW: So how you feel about the season so far?

CM: Well, we’re struggling a little bit right now, obviously. And I’ve been dealing with this hamstring.

OW: Any progress with that?

CM: Every day it’s different. Hamstrings don’t let go. It can feel great in warm-ups and then I’ll feel a tweak in the game or vice versa.

OW: How’s playin’ for Nellie?

CM: (laughing) You don’t wanna bring your kids around to practice. I’ll say that. But it’s been great. He doesn’t have all those wins for nothing.

OW: How have you adjusted to playing the 4 occasionally?

CM: (laughing) What did TO’s pub person say? TO’s got $25 million reasons to live? I’ve got $50 million reasons to play the 4.

OW: (laughing) Fair enough. How long does it take to get adjusted to playing with a new group of teammates?

CM: Depends. Not too long. This team has a lot of good players and good guys. I know Jack’s game. I know ‘Mal’s game. Goose is a little different.

OW: Is it harder to adjust to playing with a big man like him?

CM: No, I just mean dude is strange.

OW: (laughing) Can this team make the playoffs?

CM: What are the playoffs?