Jason Maxiell’s agent has made it clear that he will test the waters next season and become a restricted free agent.
“(The team has) expressed that he is a major contributor to their success,” Maxiell’s agent, Richard Katz, said in a telephone interview on Friday. “What we differ about on, is what that is worth.”
Detroit was offering Maxiell a three-year deal worth $15 million, with a team option for a fourth season.
“He loves it in Detroit, and is very comfortable,” Katz said. “We’ll just have to see how all this plays out.”
“I’m not really thinking about (contracts),”Maxiell said. “I’m just going to play this thing out, and go from there.” Via A. Sherrod Blakley at MLive.
I happen to share the opinion of Matt at DBB.
“I think Detroit’s offer is fair, and considering Max has never proven himself as a full-time starter, I don’t think there’s much risk in another team throwing the full mid-level at him. That said, there’s nothing wrong holding out for another guaranteed year or two.”
I’m not gonna lie – Max would look mighty nice running the floor with LBJ for the next few years…
I wouldn’t worry too much about this. The Pistons know Maxiell is an important part of their future. I just don’t see them giving him up. It is too bad that they couldn’t get a deal done now. Hopefully it’s not a distraction for this season.
Scott@WFNY
I have just so happened to have talked to one writer in Cleveland who covers the Cavs and they told me that they think that J.J. is more talented than Maxiell. This person however is not sure if J.J. is as tough as Maxiell.
I agree with this 100%
We will of course no more by next summer.
My guess is that J.J. will become a better player than Maxiell. That being said I could see Cleveland signing Maxiell to come in off the bench behind J.J.
Maxiell isn’t going to make more than the full mid-level exception, anyway. So, really, he doesn’t stand to make much more money than the Pistons have already offered. I don’t see this as being any distraction this season, but he may be playing with fire since the Pistons are splitting his time with Amir and with Kwama depending on the match-up.
Kwame, too.
I would have liked him to sign but it’s not anything I’m too worried about, either. Joe knows what he’s doing.
Im one of the biggest maxiell fans, and I wouldnt be upset to see him go. Pistons admin know what they have in him, but dont let him off his leash. Limiting his PT and putting him in ackward rotations only keep him from producing. He hasnt proven himself as a starter because he hadnt really been given much time playing as a starter. And when he was, he was never trusted much with the ball on the offensive end. That being said, if he moves out of Detroit, Pistons admin will realize what they have lost, which goes beyond spending a little more money on him. His value will skyrocket once in a better economically sound team than Detroit. Pistons fans who are content with having Kwame and Amir in there instead of Maxiell will soon see how much Maxiell is really contributing EVEN THOUGH he is being so EXTREMELY limited in PT and in offensive attack for the team itself.
I’m a HUGE Maxiell fan and I’m telling the truth; I’ll be so crushed if Maxiell left. That’s true; he really isn’t that skilled with the ball on the offensive end and will be the 4th or 5th guy on the court to actually ‘make something happen’ on that side; but the ‘Other Wallace’ was the same way, we didn’t ask much from him; play defense and do the intangibles.. and that’s what were asking Maxiell; be the Intangible Guy. Hopefully he won’t get greedy and do with the ‘Other Wallace’ did and go to another team to only see his career get derailed so quickly.
I’m with Damien, big fan of the baby eater, I was an even bigger fan of Big Ben, was crushed when he turned his back and I’m sure it will remain the biggest regret of his career, leaving Detroit where he was a semi-god to go in Chicago play for a stoopid coach and end-up in Cleveland where he has to split minutes with Flopper Varejao…
Anyhow, I just luv Maxiell’s style and intensity and I definitly wan’t him to stay here. I can only hope nobody would be as stoopid as to offer him more than what we are offering him. I still think Chicago gave Ben that much money not just because they wanted him but more because they wanted to break-up our team. So f*ck em!
paul Says:
October 18th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
I dont think his playing time is really extremely limited, i mean in the win against the mavericks he had 20 minutes, more then amir.
^^^Yea this preseason, im talking about the regular season last year. His PT was limited then between McDyess and Wallace, he was never given any offensive opportunities other than broken plays and offensive rebounds. The guy has a very nice jump shot now, including a fade, step back, hook, and has developed some low post moves. I watched one game last yet they went to him 2 times in a row in the post and he scored both times, but yet they’ll hand it to rasheed and let him jack up crazy shots and complete the game with a disgustingly awful FG percentage. I just think Maxiell could be one of the top players in the league if given the offensive opportunity. Just my opinion though.