Celtics counter other powers by adding Wallace
It’s been an incredibly eventful offseason in the NBA already. The league’s elite each have made moves to counteract each other. The Spurs started it all by getting Richard Jefferson, the Cavaliers got Shaquille O’Neal, the Magic got Vince Carter and the Lakers added Ron Artest.
The Boston Celtics weren’t about to sit by and watch all the other contenders improve and do nothing, and the C’s are making their move by getting former Piston Rasheed Wallace. Boston knows its title window is probably only one or two more years with the age of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, so this is a risk worth taking.
Boston expects a healthy KG next year and adding Wallace gives the team excellent front-court depth and another terrific interior defender. Orlando’s Dwight Howard showed how weak the Celtics were in the middle in this year’s playoffs. The 6-foot-11 Wallace is a scoring threat from the low block to the 3-point arc and a long-armed, savvy defender.
The Celtics’ frontcourt depth could still take a hit as the team did not extend a qualifying offer to Leon Powe and could lose restricted free agent Glen Davis if another team signs him to a contract the Celtics decide not to match. Orlando and San Antonio also were heavily courting Wallace.
“Once (Wallace) had a chance to reflect on everything, and realizing what his objectives are, he just decided this was the best fit for him, all the way around,” said Bill Strickland, Wallace’s agent.
Wallace is expected to receive a two-year deal using the mid-level exception (expected to be about $5.6 million to $5.8 million). This season, heavy minutes and injuries wore Wallace down by the time the playoffs rolled around, and his scoring average of 12 points per game was his lowest since his rookie season.
If KG and Co. can keep Wallace under wraps – he was among the league leaders in technical fouls during his 5 1/2 seasons with the Pistons – then this is a terrific move for Boston, which also is hoping to land Grant Hill.
It’s probably fair to say adding Wallace makes the Celtics the main threat to the Cavaliers for the 2009-10 season in the Eastern Conference. The Magic probably take a small step back in losing Hedo Turkoglu, Courtney Lee (in the Carter trade) and Marcin Gortat.
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