Aug. 9, 1999
SportsLine wire reports

SEATTLE -- Free agent gunner

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	T O P   N E W S

Vernon Maxwell, who resurrected his career last season, Monday signed a three-year contract with the Seattle SuperSonics.

SportsLine confirmed Maxwell signed a three-year $6.6 million deal.

The Kings signed Maxwell to a one-year contract, taking a chance on a player who has been suspended for going after a fan in the stands and jailed for probation violation of firearms charges. Maxwell, 33, averaged 10.7 points and 1.7 assists in 46 games, shooting a career-high 35 percent from 3-point range.

A member of the 1994 and 1995 NBA champion Houston Rockets, Maxwell joins a SuperSonics squad that includes veteran stars Gary Payton, Vin Baker and Horace Grant. He is expected to share shooting guard duties with Hersey Hawkins.

"I'm very excited to be with Seattle," Maxwell said. "With myself, Gary, Vin and Horace, I feel we have a great nucleus to get the Sonics back to a championship level. I'm looking forward to being a part of a great organization."

Maxwell was a 1988 second-round pick of the Denver Nuggets and has career averages of 13.3 points, 3.6 assists and 2.7 rebounds. He is one of five players in NBA history to score 30 points in a quarter, doing so on January 26, 1991 vs. Cleveland.

"We're excited to have Vernon as part of the team," Sonics coach Paul Westphal said. "He's got championship experience and teamed with Gary Payton will give us one of the quickest backcourts in the league."

In 1995, Maxwell went into the stands to accost a heckler at Veterans Coliseum in Portland, Ore., whom he claimed was making fun of his stillborn child. He was suspended by the NBA.

During the 1995 playoffs, Maxwell was suspended by the Rockets after a disagreement with the coaching staff. He played just one postseason game and was waived that June.

From 1995-98, Maxwell played for Philadelphia, San Antonio, Orlando and Charlotte. He spent several days in jail in North Carolina in the spring of 1998 after violating probation for a previous gun arrest in Texas.

After missing the playoffs for the first time since 1990, the Sonics have been somewhat quiet during the offseason. They dealt first-round pick Corey Maggette and veteran forwards Dale Ellis, Billy Owens and Don MacLean to the Orlando Magic for Grant.

Seattle also opted not to re-sign forward Detlef Schrempf, who signed with Portland.