Last week, Jason Maxiell's camp told the media the bruising forward had rejected Detroit's three-year, $15 million contract offer. Maxiell, a class of 2005 product, would then become a restricted free agent next season. Later details indicated the rejected offer might have been $20 million for four years -- the same rate, but one extra year tacked on.Today, Maxiell accepted that offer, reports Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. So, what changed? There's the possibility the previous offer had that rumored fourth year as a team option; it now appears to be guaranteed. Or perhaps Maxiell and his agent realized that restricted minutes behind Rasheed Wallace, Amir Johnson and Antonio McDyess won't allow Maxiell to bolster his case for a deal at the full mid-level or more. (Maxiell's 18 minutes in the season opener offers corroborating evidence.)
There's no telling exactly where Maxiell's stock would have ended up next summer, and $5 million is a good annual wage for a bench player. It seems like a coup for Detroit, though. The options are seemingly endless for Joe Dumars, and any trade opening up minutes for Maxiell won't inflate his future salary. For a shrewd officer like Dumars, you'd have to think Maxiell's status next summer would weigh on any prospective Wallace trade in the meantime.
