Safe to Say Gerald Wallace already gone?

[LooseCannon]

Wallace is also the veteran who is most useful.  (Well, other than Rondo.)  Humphries, Bass, Bogans, and Lee could all potentially take playing time away from youngsters.  You can't really say that about Wallace.  If you're trying to move someone for the sake of moving someone, Wallace shouldn't be the first choice.  There shouldn't be a hurry to dump him until you have a reasonable alternative for back-up SF, whether it is someone already on the roster or a free agent signing or trade acquisition (perhaps in the same trade for Wallace) that you have lined up.  Anyone who is freaking out about Wallace's contract and thinks he needs to be moved ASAP seems a bit panicky to me.

[heitingas]

maybe he wants 44 and is waiting until Wilcocks sings with someone else?

Ainge already said he's not bringing back Wilcox, well at least sources close to Ainge said that.

So that's probably not the case, I think OP is reading too much into it though, at least his profile pic is there so he's staying IMO.

[nickagneta]

I guess you could judge his 2011-12 season as "meh" but I wouldn't call it good. "Disinterested" is probably the best word to describe him the last few years. Not sure being on a rebuilding team in Boston will turn that around. I sure hope so but I don't think so.

"Disinterested?" I was at a lot of Nets games last season, and most nights Wallace was grinding out the only strong defensive stand on the floor alongside three other guys, Williams, Johnson, Lopez, that needed the help. That's not a frantic group. Crash is open to plenty of criticism, but I don't see how his work ethic is up for debate? Dish?

I am nervous to find out to what extent his struggles were the results of poor fit - both Johnson and Carlesimo often just stranded him out on the perimeter - and nagging injuries versus time's toll on a player heavily dependent on his physicality.

I only saw him play about six times, maybe 5, and each time he just never appeared to be very aggressive on the boards like he used to be, engaged on the offensive end, shooting prolifically which was always his norm, or playing exceptional defense, again, a norm for him. I thought he appeared disinterested.

I guess I could have just caught him on 5-6 bad nights or second night of back to back or something or maybe he had nagging injuries that made him appear that way. I don't know. But it sure looked like he just didn't care about whether he was there or not. His body language was awful.

I will defer to your expertise though if you saw him so much live and/or on television. He's always been a pretty passionate player. I hope he brings that this year. A Gerald Wallace circa 2009-10 would really give this Celtics team a massive lift.

[2short]

I guess you could judge his 2011-12 season as "meh" but I wouldn't call it good. "Disinterested" is probably the best word to describe him the last few years. Not sure being on a rebuilding team in Boston will turn that around. I sure hope so but I don't think so.

"Disinterested?" I was at a lot of Nets games last season, and most nights Wallace was grinding out the only strong defensive stand on the floor alongside three other guys, Williams, Johnson, Lopez, that needed the help. That's not a frantic group. Crash is open to plenty of criticism, but I don't see how his work ethic is up for debate? Dish?

I am nervous to find out to what extent his struggles were the results of poor fit - both Johnson and Carlesimo often just stranded him out on the perimeter - and nagging injuries versus time's toll on a player heavily dependent on his physicality.

I only saw him play about six times, maybe 5, and each time he just never appeared to be very aggressive on the boards like he used to be, engaged on the offensive end, shooting prolifically which was always his norm, or playing exceptional defense, again, a norm for him. I thought he appeared disinterested.

I guess I could have just caught him on 5-6 bad nights or second night of back to back or something or maybe he had nagging injuries that made him appear that way. I don't know. But it sure looked like he just didn't care about whether he was there or not. His body language was awful.

I will defer to your expertise though if you saw him so much live and/or on television. He's always been a pretty passionate player. I hope he brings that this year. A Gerald Wallace circa 2009-10 would really give this Celtics team a massive lift.

i think the main problem was the nets system and williams.   Not a lot of ball movement on that team, williams and johnson are taking LOTS of shots, add lopez in there and there wasn't any flow for a team game.
pretty sure his game is going to look pretty good playing with rondo, his defense and toughness are what we can really use

[slamtheking]

I was just on the Celtics website and noticed that even though Wallace is included in the Celtics roster, he still doesn't have a number yet (even Humph, Bogans and Brooks have numbers.)

Couple that with the fact he wasn't even at the press conference a couple weeks back and am just wondering if Ainge is either already trying to move him or has already found a deal. I know any deal involving any of the Brooklyn guys can't become official til Sept 12.

this would be the essense of "flimsy" evidence for speculation.

The fact he wasn't at the press conference was explained, by the team and on this site and thread, many times so you're really basing this assumption on the fact he hasn't picked a number yet? 

[Chris]

I was just on the Celtics website and noticed that even though Wallace is included in the Celtics roster, he still doesn't have a number yet (even Humph, Bogans and Brooks have numbers.)

Couple that with the fact he wasn't even at the press conference a couple weeks back and am just wondering if Ainge is either already trying to move him or has already found a deal. I know any deal involving any of the Brooklyn guys can't become official til Sept 12.

Didn't he miss the presser because he had a previous commitment at some hoops camp?

While I think Ainge might like to move him, he also might currently be the least movable person on the roster. I think BKN's desire to unload his contract was a big part of getting all of those picks back - and since it's been only two weeks since the trade, that contract hasn't gotten any less palatable for another team to take on.

This.  I think his contract could become more palatable if he comes in and plays well for a few months, to show last year was an aberation.  But, right now, he is not easily moved. 

[TripleOT]

I'll be stunned if DA has a buyer for Wallace. With this new CBA, teams won't be slinging long term $10m a year deals around to role players. 

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I'll be stunned if DA has a buyer for Wallace. With this new CBA, teams won't be slinging long term $10m a year deals around to role players.

Probably not, I think he stays at least this season and probably til he is expiring. If he gets any interest, I'm sure it's going to be after he shows up on court with us... he will have to play VERY well for us. 0.0

[gar]

Danny knows what he is getting in Wallace and that and Marshon Brook made this deal go down a little easier. Wallace plays hard every night and if used properly will be fun to watch. With Green and Olynyk he will be very difficult to guard.

[LooseCannon]

One problem is looking at Gerald Wallace in isolation vs. an empty roster spot.

Perhaps the correct way to look at Wallace is to wonder whether the Celtics would be better off without Wallace, with Terry, with perhaps one fewer first round pick, and a smaller trade exception (if there even is one in a deal without Wallace).

In the long-run, I think the Celtics are better off with Wallace rather than Terry if it means an additional first and a big trade exception.

[slamtheking]

One problem is looking at Gerald Wallace in isolation vs. an empty roster spot.

Perhaps the correct way to look at Wallace is to wonder whether the Celtics would be better off without Wallace, with Terry, with perhaps one fewer first round pick, and a smaller trade exception (if there even is one in a deal without Wallace).

In the long-run, I think the Celtics are better off with Wallace rather than Terry if it means an additional first and a big trade exception.

I agree.  I think the (perceived) extras we received for taking on Wallace are worth the deal.  It's not inconceivable for him to have a year where he rebounds back to his old form.  I'd certainly take on his deal for that extra pick and exception. 

If he bounces back, he's on a 2-year deal that, for a player of his previous abilities, is not a bad contract.  If he has another down year, well then he's not going anywhere until he's an expiring deal at the earliest.  if the exception is used well and that pick turns out to be a good player, then Wallace is still worth taking on instead of keeping JET.

[Mattson]

I really don't think so. Getting rid of him would also mean parting ways with a pick. And since we are collecting those right now, it's improbable that we will get rid of him. I don't think he will be gone soon.

[Yogi]

Wallace's contract is not that bad.  For the next three seasons, I would rather have Rondo + Wallace than Deron Williams, Westbrook, Johnson, Rudy Gay etc. by themselves for the same money. 

[BleedGreen1989]

Anybody else think Wallace might actually have a solid year?

He was badly misused in BRK and was relegated to being a spot up shooter while everybody else played 1 on 1. And then there's this little nugget from Wallace last year...

"Typical Nets basketball," Wallace said of the third. "We don't play together. Careless turnovers. We don't execute offensively. And defensively, we don't do anything. We don't defend. We don't guard the ball. We don't help each other out. It's the same story as it's been all season."

[Boris Badenov]

Wallace's contract is not that bad.  For the next three seasons, I would rather have Rondo + Wallace than Deron Williams, Westbrook, Johnson, Rudy Gay etc. by themselves for the same money.

I'm not sure I'd conclude much about Wallace's contract from that comparison, but you just made a great case that Rondo's deal is an absolute steal.