Boston Celtics Make A Pitch For Rasheed Wallace!
The Boston Celtics made their pitch to Rasheed Wallace on Thursday. And Wallace was receptive.
A contingent from the Celtics organization — including owner Wyc Grousbeck, President Danny Ainge, head coach Doc Rivers and All-Stars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen — descended on Wallace’s suburban Michigan home on Thursday for a three-hour meeting with the free-agent forward.
“Solid, thorough, cogent and very impressive,” Wallace’s agent, Bill Strickland, told SI.com about Boston’s recruiting trip. “[They] definitely gave Rasheed and his wife something to think about.”
During the course of the meeting the Celtics offered Wallace a contract using their entire mid-level exception. It is unclear how many years Boston offered Wallace, who will be 35 at the start of next season.
Multiple league executives believe Wallace is deciding between Boston and San Antonio. Both the Celtics and Spurs can offer Wallace the full mid-level exception ($5.6 million). With Ron Artest agreeing to terms with the Lakers and Trevor Ariza agreeing to a deal with Houston on Thursday, league sources expect Cleveland to make a late push for Wallace’s services. Orlando, should they choose not to re-sign restricted free agent Marcin Gortat, is also a possibility.
However, Boston and San Antonio stand as the strongest candidates. The Celtics can offer Wallace a chance to stay in the Eastern Conference as well as the opportunity to play with Garnett, who is a close friend. San Antonio, which traded forwards Fabricio Oberto and Kurt Thomas last month in the deal for Richard Jefferson, can offer Wallace a starters role. Boston’s interest in Wallace is believed to be as a backup.
Wallace has given no indication as to when he will make a decision.
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Comments (14)
Westside. The 1st misstep of postseason was Cleveland signing Shaq. He won’t help them defend Orlando perimeter players and can’t defend KG or K. Howard. He is such a big hit on their payroll that he took them out of the running for Ariza and Wallace, who would have addressed both issues. Other available would have been Lamar Odom, Amarie Stoudamire, Vince Carter, Hedo Turkoglu, Tayshan Prince, Richard Jefferson.
Swank, I think Sheed is a perfect fit for Celtics as he gives them kind of a KG redundancy. When KG was out for the playoffs, they really suffered through every series, especially vs Orlando. I don’t think starting is nearly as important to him as winning. Besides, coming off the bench will limit his minutes and extend his career.
NYCsmoove, if you have issues with Sheed, what could you possibly see in Artest. He brings twice the drama, hogs the ball, and is a bit overrated as a shutdown defender. Sheed is uninspired because he’s on a team that has stopped trying to win championships as Detroit proved when they traded Billups for AI, who is a nonfactor as far as championship contention goes.
Sheed need to go to the Spurs. Because I think Sheed and Shaq can’t coexist in Cleveland. Also Sheed would be a bench player in Boston. The spurs are the best bet.
It’ll be interesting as Ron Artest being a Laker, or wherever destination AI ends up at. We shall see how this plays out.
I’m not gonna front, it would be kinda sad to see him leave here, but he does bring a lot of passion to the game(technicals or not) I hated it when my boy Chuancy left or was traded. He was my favorite, but either way, I hope we make some improvements. Period.
Wallace is one season away from retiring, you can see it in how he plays. He’s not the same player he was a few years ago. The Celtics might wanna go small, they already got big guys. When you get Wallace, you get drama.
The should have gone after Ron Artest. Rasheed Wallace isn’t the same player he used to be. He’s selfish and he plays lazy on defense. He spends most of his energy arguing with refs and collecting technical fouls.
THAT’S JUST WHAT WE NEED!! IF BOSTON GET HIM, IT’S A WRAP
THE BIG 4
ok this is really interesting but, whatever happens it will be a trip to see.
sheeds going to boston, plain and simple. he’s the insurance for garnett. then the celtics in 5 in the champion ship! (vs. who?) IT DON’T MATTER !!
He’ll go to boston because the Eastern conference is not nearly a loaded as it is in the west Boston will gives him his best shot at returning to another finals
We will get rasheed so quit hating ! And when we do its curtains for all yall ! Even looking at our roster without rasheed makes us a problem for any team ! Period ! Name a team that has a better roster…..or bench. Marbury, house, Powe, Big babby, and now rasheed ?!?!? Lol. Yall honestly dont think marburys gonna have another off season !?!? Eddie house shot like 70 % from 3 point in the playoffs. Big babby average 15 and 10 and powe average 20 and 10. Thats coming off the bench next season. I aint even gonna get on our starting line up with KG healthy and Rondo gettin better by the year. Lol. There always the 2011 season. Stay thirsty my friends
I think he will go to san antonio because he gets to start. Why ride the bench when your dream is to play b-ball? If he sign with boston I know he is lazy and just want to ride the backs of boston. Both teams are championship contenders. Texas has a warmer climate, nicer to live, he will make the same amount boston will pay. There’s no excuse. The only reason he chooses boston is laziness.
News flash…despite the experts advice. Rasheed Wallace won’t make the celtics championship bound. Mark my words
My Spurs need to get him. Timmy D needs help upfront.