--Reserve F Jason Maxiell will make more money in the near future, but that won't mean his role will expand. On Friday, Maxiell signed a four-year, $20 million extension that kicks in next season. He was the first player off the bench on most nights last season, but he'll probably play less than Antonio McDyess and Rodney Stuckey this season.
Coach Michael Curry believes that Maxiell's style is best suited for a top-level bench player, rather than a 35- to 40-minute starter. "He's undersized and he's playing in the post," Curry said. "He's trying to hit somebody on every possession. He's going to get worn down. I think the reality is if he plays as hard as he plays, 20 to 25 minutes a night will be a great number for him, and he can have a great career doing that."
--Coach Michael Curry felt bad that he didn't play Kwame Brown more against Washington, Brown's original team. "He deserved a lot more minutes than he played," Curry said.
Brown scored eight points in eight first-half minutes but didn't play in the second half. The Wizards only played C Etan Thomas 18 minutes, which contributed to Brown's modest playing time.
Brown surprised his ex-teammates with a pair of dribble drives for layups. "I definitely didn't expect them to pressure up on me when I had the ball," Brown said. "I just drove by them every time."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "If we've got to have five bikes behind the bench to make sure you're going to be warm when you go back in there, then we'll do that." -- Coach Michael Curry, on his team's high turnover numbers when the starters return to action in the second quarter.
