Sterling wants Maggette to stay

Clippers owner Donald T. Sterling wanted to send a message, so he summoned General Manager Elgin Baylor, Coach Mike Dunleavy and Corey Maggette to an impromptu meeting Saturday near the bottom of the entrance ramp at Staples Center.

The Clippers had just routed the Memphis Grizzlies and Sterling figured the time was right to make his position known on the team’s trade discussions involving Maggette. Sterling said he wanted the seven-year veteran to remain with the team, Maggette said he hoped to stay and Baylor and Dunleavy agreed that few players available in trades could help the Clippers more than Maggette, according to Clippers officials familiar with the conversation.

Although the owner left the door ajar to trade the Clippers’ leading scorer off the bench, telling Maggette he would permit Baylor and Dunleavy to move him in a deal that might improve the team significantly, Sterling was firm in his message: He wants Maggette to be with the Clippers for a long time.

The productive sixth man played a key role again Thursday night for the Clippers, who got a go-ahead three-pointer from Cuttino Mobley with 0.6 of a second remaining in a 102-101 win over the New Jersey Nets at Staples.

Maggette scored 18 points, grabbed six rebounds and had five assists.

The Newark Star-Ledger on Thursday reported that the Clippers and Nets talked about possibly trading Maggette and Shaun Livingston for star swingman Vince Carter and rookie guard Marcus Williams.

The Clippers did speak with the Nets about the availability of Carter and star point guard Jason Kidd, and were told the players were not available. The Clippers are no longer pursing any deals involving Carter and Kidd, team sources said.

The Clippers had been in discussions with many teams about potential trades that could help them improve before the Feb. 22 trading deadline. Carter and Kidd were among the players the Clippers identified as potential difference-makers.

The team had shopped Maggette because his agent, Rob Pelinka, was concerned about Maggette’s role and requested a trade.

Before Thursday’s game, Dunleavy said he did not expect Maggette to be traded.

“In the role he’s in, Corey is very valuable to our team,” Dunleavy said. “In terms of coming in and giving us scoring, rebounding and energy, Corey has been a big contributor to what we’re trying to do.”

jason.reid@latimes.com