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**Austin Kent** · 10-22-2006, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Pistons reserves Carlos Delfino and Jason Maxiell have both enjoyed thumbs-up appraisals during training camp and the preseason. Friday, they received the most positive reviews yet.

The Pistons announced they'd picked up the team option years on each player's contract.

"It says we've got confidence in where they're at," coach Flip Saunders said. "They're part of our future."

Both players now are locked in through next season. Maxiell, a 23-year-old forward in his second season, also has a team option for the 2008-09 season. At the end of those deals, both will become restricted free agents, meaning the Pistons can match any offer they receive.

Delfino will make $1.87 million next season; Maxiell will earn $1 million.

The team had until Oct. 31 to guarantee the next seasons on each rookie deal, and they intended to do so all along. It was just a matter of getting to the paperwork, team president Joe Dumars said.

Free Press

**Austin Kent** · 10-22-2006, 12:08 PM

Quote:

AUBURN HILLS -- It wasn't like forwards Jason Maxiell and Carlos Delfino were on pins and needles.

But both exhaled a happy sigh of relief Friday when the Pistons exercised team options on their contracts through the 2007-08 seasons.

Delfino will be paid $1.86 million. He is in the third year of his original four-year, $4.76 million rookie contract.

Maxiell, who is in his second year with the Pistons, will make $973,000 this season with the potential of another $2.9 million if the Pistons keep him throughout his $4.79 million four-year rookie contract. "It wasn't like we were watching them play (to determine whether to pick up the option), we could have done it on the first day of training camp," Pistons president Joe Dumars said after Friday's practice. "We like both of them, and we knew we were going to pick up the option no matter what."

But it certainly didn't hurt Maxiell to be the standout of training camp.

"It's nice to know you're wanted," Maxiell said. "I just like being around. (The option decision) was a big part in knowing I had to slim down a little bit, play hard against Rasheed (Wallace) and Nazr (Muhammad), knowing that this could be a big year for me."

Detroit News

**STUCKEY!** · 10-22-2006, 02:35 PM

Good to hear, hopefully it puts a good amount of confidence and they breakout of there shells in the regular season

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