Corey Maggette met with the Detroit media for the first time on Tuesday at the Detroit Pistons' training facility and expressed his joy in landing with the Detroit Pistons [via Detroit Free Press]:
"I’m just so happy Joe Dumars made the trade," Maggette said in his first comments since the Pistons acquired the 6-foot-6 swingman in exchange for shooting guard Ben Gordon and a conditional first-round draft pick last week.
Sean has already touched on why this was a good trade for the Pistons. While salary cap space may be overrated, a healthy Maggette, even if for just one year, will likely be more valuable than a Ben Gordon has been for the last three.
Yes, the Pistons also gave up a (protected) first-round pick, the beef of many, but it's possible they can get that back by flipping Maggette, who is after all merely a rental player. As the always astute community has pointed out, this trade will be best evaluated in hind sight.
For now, Maggette is likely playing for his final big contract and has extra incentive to produce at his highest level while donning the Pistons' red, blue and white. After being traded from Michael Jordan's team, which in and of itself can be a happy thing, he now gets to rehab with "the Michael Jordan of trainers", Arnie Kander, and is expecting to be healthy and ready to play by camp.
UPDATE -- MLIVE has more quotes:
"I have an opportunity to try to excel more if I want to continue to play more. I have another opportunity here. Coming from Charlotte, where you had the worst record in the league, this an improvement. I'm just looking forward to the challenge." [...]
"With the people here, definitely with Arnie being here, being able to help me extend my career depending on how long I want to play – depending on if I want to continue to play – it can only help," he said. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity."God willing, it's whatever he wants to continue to do (in the future) I'm going to continue to do. This is another chapter with Detroit. I'm very happy to be here. Whatever happens next year, we'll see."