I've been out at a meeting all day, so I haven't gotten to the report in the Los Angeles Times that Cuttino Mobley has offered to come off the bench:

Mobley, one of the three veteran perimeter players vying for two starting spots along with Corey Maggette and Quinton Ross, offered to come off the bench in a meeting with Coach Mike Dunleavy. Although Dunleavy said he had not determined who would start the season opener Nov. 1 against the Phoenix Suns, he applauded Mobley's selflessness.

Maggette has repeated stated that he "ain't no sixth man," so I thought it would be constructive to look at how he performed as a starter vs. coming off the bench: 

 

 

FG %

3PFG%

PTS/48

FT/48

R/48

TO/48

A/48

As Starter

42.6%

.367

27.7

11.3

7.6

3.3

3.7

As Sub

46.2%

.317

29.9

10.3

9.5

4.6

3.0

One could argue that these stats are red herrings, that coming off the bench, Maggette is likely to matchup against inferior players (which would explain the disparity in FG%), that second teams tend to be smaller (hence the rebounding margin).  And it follows that, playing with the likes of Elton Brand and Sam Cassell, Maggette is going to have more options (which would explain the assist/48 number).  Wouldn't Elton Brand score more and shoot more efficiently against 'Reef than against Kenny Thomas?  An easier time on the glass against Reggie Evans and Nene than a healthy Kenyon Martin and Carlos Boozer?   But this doesn't mean Elton Brand should be backing up Aaron Williams, does it? 

All of this is to say that we should take these stats with a grain of salt because it's impossible to isolate the variables we need to in order to come up with a definitive analysis. 

Nevertheless, it's safe to say that Corey Maggette isn't appreciably better as a starter.   Personally, I like the move - provided that Cuttino demonstrates that Vinnie Johnson "spark plug" quality.  It means a happier Maggette; it allows Dunleavy to start Clipperblog fave and defensive stopper, Quinton Ross, thereby giving Dunleavy the flexibility to assign Maggette to the opponent's lesser wing man.  And it gives the Clippers a serious threat from beyond the arc in the starting lineup, something Mobley just wasn't able to offer last season, for whatever reason. 

So we'll see.