Well, now that he's a Piston, what do you guys figure the chances are he could end up wearing a Rockets jersey next season? Aside from Detroit, (if he enjoys playing there) I'd think Houston and New York would have to be two of the more appealing destinations at this point. I'd have to lean towards the Knicks as the best place though because aside from the fact that it seems every player wants to play in Madison Square Garden, Rasheed Wallace would be a big fish in a small pond in the eastern conference.
Hobbs - Everything you said is true. But it wasn't just Wallace that they have nothing to show for but cap space. They let Abdur-Rahim and Theo Ratliff go for nothing but cap space. Look at this list: http://users.pandora.be/nbareporter/freeagentshuidig.htm This is what they will start rebuilding with and they'll be competing minimally with PHX, UTAH, WAS, SA, and the LAC. And DET if they let Wallace walk. If MEM doesn't take an $8m team option on Bonzi, they will be FA players as well. ORL will also have a boatload of cap space should Grant Hill take a medical retirement. And every decent WC playoff teams MLE and the good EC teams' MLE. As far as the draft, there is no way they are going to play as poorly as ORL or CHI and CHAR is guaranteed the #4 overall pick. Right now, they will be extremely lucky to get #3 overall...IOW...no Okafor and no Atlanta HS star Dwight Howard IMO. I was venting before but after thinking about it, I honestly feel the Charlotte Bobcats will make the EC playoffs before the Hawks. They are going to have way more picks, the owner Robert Johnson is a shrewd businessman and new coach Bernie Bickerstaff (although having a poor W-L record) is a good talent evaluator as evidenced by the increase in the # of wins he gets in each successive season he coaches with a new team. The Hawks are the new joke of the NBA. I hope David McDavid has deep enough pockets because even in the EC they are going to stink for 5 years minimum.
Rahim and Ratliff weren't exactly winning them games. Atlanta's path may be real long, who knows, but the present wasn't getting them anywhere closer to respectability and they were paying through the nose for their lottery seasons. Trading them separately may have netted them more in picks or players (although not likely good players or players worth their contracts), but it most certainly wouldn't have netted them more cap space. Cap space provides options. If they maximize those options they'll be somewhere. If not, they'll be where they were. As for Houston's chances for Sheed, there's absolutely no way of knowing. Sheed's availability will have a lot to do with what happens the rest of this season. If Detroit looks like a real contender, he may not go anywhere for any reason. If they tank, he may be looking around at all options. Houston is probably one of the top teams to look at if he does start shopping around.
Rox will be a champion contender if Cato is replaced by Wallace given Wallace can adopt to JVG system KH
Wallace has no desire to win a champtionship. He is like Charles, they just want to show off all the time. No discipline. Always number one in T. You can't help your team if you can't control yourself.
No. He's not signing for MLE here and I wouldn't trade anyone of the XX-million dollar category (aka Steve or Mo and Cato) for him. He's not as good as he used to be and I don't see him getting any better, in fact that pattern is he's on the downside and sliding.
There is no room for Wallace in Detroit after this season. Ben Wallace is a starter. If that is the case then Rasheed Wallace and Okur (Both FAs) are competing for the other PF/C spot. Why would BOTH of them sign there? Doesn't make sense. Then throw in the fact that Darko is there and he has to get minutes as he is the future of the team. They have a log jam. Then there is the financial side where Wallace counts 150% against the cap unless he is renounced. If the Pistons have to offer Okur MORE than the MLE (which I believe they will because Denver and Utah will) then they have to renounce Wallace (lose bird rights) or they have to S&T Wallace. But they have to get little back in return so they don't lose cap space for the Okur signing. Sooooo, if the Rockets can use their 7M Trade Exception and a 1st round pick as as sweetener the Pistons can keep their cap space for Okur and get a 1st rounder in return. Something to think about.
