Rasheed Wallace to the Spurs?

by tomasito on Feb 6, 2009 11:07 AM CST Comment 43 comments

There I was, minding my own business not working at work, browsing ESPN's site, when I came across this article:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&page=tradetalk-090205

Basically, it says that Rasheed Wallace is interested in becoming a Spur as a free agent in the offseason. I don't know what to think of this. It reminds me of when there was some talk that Karl Malone might come out of retirement to join the Spurs. On one hand, he's one of my least favorite players in the league. On the other hand, Rasheed is EXACTLY what the Spurs need on the court:

1. He can stretch the floor and shoot threes to open it up inside for Timmy, Manu, and Tony;

2. He could score in the post himself when Timmy sits;

3. He could guard bigs like Bynum or Boozer AND athletic fours like Pau, West, Stoudemire, Dirk, etc.

4. He wouldn't care if the big three took all the shots; in fact, the knock on him (as a player) has always been that he's too willing to defer. That wouldn't be an issue on the Spurs.

Could Pop and the San Antonio environment control his on-court outbursts? Would this be a Randy Moss in New England type of situation? Discuss...

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I hope it happens....

Pop’s got a good track record with getting the most out of the guys in the latter stages of their careers. Sheed’s still got a lot to contribute, and he’s exactly the floor-stretching big this team needs.

"You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas." -Davy Crockett
"Give me an army of West Point graduates, and I'll win a battle. Give me a handful of Texas Aggies, and I'll win a war." -Gen. George S. Patton

by spursfan4ever on Feb 6, 2009 11:14 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I agree with everything you said.

I even thought of the Karl Malone scenario right away. I was so torn over that because I thought that Malone could help us, but I hated him as a player. I think Rasheed is an even better fit for us, though. He’s a good one on one defender, which would be great paired up with Tim’s help defense, too. He’s also been called one of the smartest players, so he wouldn’t need very long to learn the Spurs’ system. A lot of people thought that Rasheed was a cancer when the Pistons traded for him, but then everyone praised him for being such a professional under Larry Brown. I think we would get the same results for about a year or two, but then all bets are off.

by tandyman on Feb 6, 2009 11:20 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

yes – it is right down the karl malone alley for me too. a little different though because i hated the mailman with every fiber of my being. i like sheed wallace slightly more than that and could probably stomach the situation given that he is in fact exactly what we need right now.

if wallace did anything at all, the spurs would go from solid #2 to the lakers in the west to favorite in an instant.

by bones on Feb 6, 2009 11:29 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

What would it take to actually make the trade work? Salary wise, TP and Findog for Sheed? The only reason trading TP is even conceivable right now is because of George Hill, but he’s still a just a promising rookie… he could flame out easily, and we’d lose our youngest stud. TP is probably as valuable as trade bait as he’s ever going to be… would it be worth it to get two-three good years out of Wallace?

chaos... panic... pandemonium... my work here is done.

by rick2g on Feb 6, 2009 11:36 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

eh? TP for Sheed? are you insane?

"It's a basic truth of the human condition that everybody lies. The only variable is about what."

by Chilai on Feb 6, 2009 12:01 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

yeah, thats insane

Parker is a top 5 PG, no way you trade him

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Feb 6, 2009 3:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Who would even suggest such a crazy idea? Even in jest!!!

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by jollyrogerwilco on Feb 6, 2009 3:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

well maybe he just meant salaries

b/c thats all the espn trade machine takes into account

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Feb 6, 2009 3:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I would prefer to trade that antoine walker of ours, you know… that baldy that cant make 3’s

"It's a basic truth of the human condition that everybody lies. The only variable is about what."

by Chilai on Feb 6, 2009 7:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I said that because at the beginning of the year, I jokingly renewed the trade Tony talk after Cubits had a couple of decent games.

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by jollyrogerwilco on Feb 6, 2009 7:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

This works.

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=8832422805846866874&teams=2488888&te=&cash=

For some reason the ESPN Trade Machine isn’t listing the photos I have of Joe Dumars having a threesome with Findog and Darko Milicic. Not to worry, they don’t count against the salary cap.

by Rand on Feb 6, 2009 11:37 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

that was pretty funny

by staves27 on Feb 6, 2009 11:44 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I doubt either side would do that trade. The Pistons would have two guys in Kurt and Fab who have a year left on their contracts, and we’d have no bigs left outside of Bonner. Way too risky.

"Like feel or follow or fuck" she said...

by Aaronstampler on Feb 6, 2009 1:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, the Piston’s wouldn’t do it because it would be a terrible, terrible trade for them. But the Spurs? We’d have three bigs: Sheed, Bonner, and that guy who wears #21. I’ll take that, and if we need an extra six fouls we can sign some seven-foot stiff out of the D-League for the min. Would I rather have Dwight Howard there to round out the bench? Sure I would. But I was out of film that night Stan Van Gundy hooked up with Hedo Turkoglu.

by Rand on Feb 6, 2009 3:05 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Boston demostrated that if you have a great 6-7 core, you can fill the bench with rookies, ring chasers and minimum players. After all, its not like we are getting a lot from our 8-12 guys.

"It's a basic truth of the human condition that everybody lies. The only variable is about what."

by Chilai on Feb 6, 2009 7:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i don't think we have anything they would want

I know we aren’t trading any of the big three, nor should we to get wallace because i believe that would negate any positives for him coming here. But outside tony tim and manu i’m not seeing anything the Pistons would take back in return. And we would have to trade like 5 guys in order to make the salaries match, and that just wouldn’t make any sense. We could trade the rights to Splitter but i don’t know how much they are worth and i believe i’ve heard that its a pretty foregone conclusion that he is not leaving Europe…ever

by staves27 on Feb 6, 2009 11:43 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Marc Stein said a trade was improbable

If we are hoping for Sheed, it has to be as a free agent next year. We’re not giving up TP or Manu and we don’t have anything else Detroit would want.

by tandyman on Feb 6, 2009 11:56 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I would love Sheed for THIS season, but not going to happen. His salary is just too big. Unless another team comes into action (very unlikely) we have no chance of landing sheed this season. Next one? Why not.

"It's a basic truth of the human condition that everybody lies. The only variable is about what."

by Chilai on Feb 6, 2009 12:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Ehhhh

I’m very mixed about this. Firstly, I don’t think that the Spurs can trade for him. That’s just not realistic. Secondly, as good as he is on the floor, do we want a guy with that kind of character on our team? I really like his game, but I REALLY don’t like his attitude both on and off the court. Would that change coming to SA? Possibly, but probably not. I’m not sure if it’s worth it.

I’m a big Cowboys fan and I kind of see this like getting TO. He’s good on the field/court, but is it worth the locker room drama. Part of the reason that I like the Spurs is the fact that for the most part we have quality people playing for our team. Do we want to lose that for a guy like Wallace? I don’t know if it’s worth the risk.

One man's toxic sludge is another man's popuri

by Big50 on Feb 6, 2009 12:31 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

As batshit crazy as he is, I don’t think Rasheed is a locker room cancer like TO. Most of his teammates seem to respect him and vice versa. My issue with signing Sheed in the offseason would be age, as he would turn 35 before the 2009-2010 season. However, he may be worth the a risk because he won’t command an outrageous salary in a 2-3 year deal.

"....It is more about them than it is about the team. Cannot play with them. Cannot win with them. Cannot coach with them. Can’t do it. I want winners!" - Mike Singletary

by DennardC on Feb 6, 2009 12:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, if that’s true, then I would be more inclined to see him in Black and Silver

One man's toxic sludge is another man's popuri

by Big50 on Feb 6, 2009 12:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree. TO’s a cancer because he thinks that he’s the greatest thing on the field. Stand ‘Sheed next to Duncan, that’s not gonna be an issue. And remember, during the Pistons’ title season ‘Sheed meshed very nicely because he was playing with quality, professional guys coached by a well-respected hardass. Now take that, double it, and you’ve got the Spurs. ’Sheed might show up in a suit and tie.

by Rand on Feb 6, 2009 12:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

One thing that’s always intrigued me about Sheed — he seems enormously popular (and even respected) among other players. I never got the sense that Karl Malone was very well liked by his peers.

by Lauri on Feb 6, 2009 12:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Me hearts Sheed. I already tried my hand at a crazy trade in 48MoH’s thread, but I failed miserably. I basically gave up half our team in a trade they wouldn’t want.

Maybe next year.

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by LatinD on Feb 6, 2009 1:12 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

yep, next year we’d just have to sign him as a free agent, and not give up anything at all … except, perhaps, our self-respect

seriously though, Sheed could probably be kept in line for a season, mebbe two – and he’d likely be pretty valuable as long as Pop could keep him from doubling down low in late game situations while leaving a red-hot shooter like Horry open at the 3 point line, a la G5 in 2005

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by jollyrogerwilco on Feb 6, 2009 2:14 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Basically, according to ESPN’s NBA trade machine, we can trade for Rasheed by giving away the JV, Fatality, Findog, and two of three between Rocket, Fab and Marbles (of those three, I’d prefer to keep Kurt).

Detroit’s only incentive to do this, besides us trading them Mahinmi or the rights to Splitter, would be to clear a ton of cap room for 2010.

We need to keep Bruce to defend Kobe, Pierce, LeBron, etc. because nobody else on our roster can.

Mathematically the trade is doable, but I’m sure Detroit can get better deals elsewhere. They wouldn’t really give us Sheed realistically unless a third team gave them something they want besides cap space or Dumars felt indebted to ’Sheed for some reason and let him pick his destination.

"Like feel or follow or fuck" she said...

by Aaronstampler on Feb 6, 2009 2:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

For the sake of argument, if we say that Detroit would be willing to do this deal, while we get that floor stretching big who can defend face-up shooters, wouldn’t this leave us remarkably thin?

I guess what I’m wondering is, what do you see the rotation looking like with Sheed but w/o the guys we’d lose?

Would Manu start? Would Sheed come off the bench? How about end game situations? My mind’s a whirl.

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- Goathair at theblowtorch.blogspot.com

by jollyrogerwilco on Feb 6, 2009 3:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, for the sake of argument, here would be our roster after the deal:

C: Tim, Mahinmi (IR)
PF: Rasheed, Kurt
SF: Bruce, Hairston
SG: Mason, Manu
PG: Tony, Hill

Obviously we’d have to sign on half the Toros’ roster to fill out our 15, but I’d still do the trade in a second. We could sign Gist out of Italy, sign Ahearn back to be the third PG, whatever. We’d be arguing semantics about guys who aren’t going to play anyway.

The starting lineup would be Tim ‘Sheed Bruce Mace Tony and the reserves would be Manu, Kurt, Hill and Hairston, getting minutes in that order. We’d be treading dangerously close to a 7 man rotation by the time we get deep into the playoffs, but we were doing that in ’05 too and I would prefer this top seven to that top seven (Tim, Tony, Manu, Bruce, Nazr, Horry, Brent).

"Like feel or follow or fuck" she said...

by Aaronstampler on Feb 6, 2009 4:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

just dreamin'

While that IS pretty thin, it’s not quite anorexic. And we WOULD be likely to close games out with TD, Sheed, Manu, TP and either Mason or Bruce.

Not a bad way to end a high pressure playoff game.

TITLEBOT 21 READY TO PERFORM MISSION. BANK SHOT CALCULATING.
- Goathair at theblowtorch.blogspot.com

by jollyrogerwilco on Feb 6, 2009 9:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m inclined to agree that it’s all but impossible. However, the Pau Gasol “trade” last year gives me some hope. Would a package of Bonner/Mahinmi/Splitter’s rights/Udoka be any worse than what the Lakers gave to Memphis?

by tomasito on Feb 6, 2009 3:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Chris Wallace would do it

"....It is more about them than it is about the team. Cannot play with them. Cannot win with them. Cannot coach with them. Can’t do it. I want winners!" - Mike Singletary

by DennardC on Feb 6, 2009 3:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, that’d be a HELLUVA lot better deal than Memphis got last year. As long as we’re applying that logic, why don’t we keep Yawn or Splitter and just throw in some old Garbage Pail Kids cards or cash?

by SgtinManusArmy on Feb 6, 2009 3:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

We’d be over the cap. And that is something the team strives to keep itself under.

Thats why I think this trade isn’t happening. Rasheed Wallace isn’t a guy you trade 5 guys for, even if 2 of them are bench warmers.

by r21x on Feb 6, 2009 3:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That’s basically the trade I did. Except I wanted Bowen out. Tim’s argument was that Joe Dumars is not going to take taking on any cap, so we’d have to use only expiring contracts.

Straight from the No-Stat Zone to your computer!

by LatinD on Feb 6, 2009 5:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder what Detroit has planned moving forward. The AI experience has been an abject failure, as has the Michael Curry coaching experience. I’m sure Joe D, wants to continue to be a contender, but I’m not sure if they don’t need to blow the roster up and start over. The proverbial championship window is super glued together for them at the moment. I believe Joe traded the wrong guy, I would have tried to move Sheed after the way he has performed in the last 2 postseasons not Chauncey. Anywho, enough about the Pistons, somehow getting Sheed this season would be interesting.

"....It is more about them than it is about the team. Cannot play with them. Cannot win with them. Cannot coach with them. Can’t do it. I want winners!" - Mike Singletary

by DennardC on Feb 6, 2009 2:53 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I'll take Rasheed from 5 years ago

theres no need to make this team older

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Feb 6, 2009 3:36 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Shouldn’t trade for him NOW, maybe a few years ago. If he really wants to win a championship maybe/hopefully he’d take less $$$ kind of like Findog did for the opportunity to do so come free agent frenzy. He would be a perfect fit for the team, and we’d benefit for a couple of seasons, there’s just not a lot tread left on his tires.

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. - Confucius

by raynorschiene on Feb 6, 2009 4:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, signing him would be fine, but no way you give up anything for a guy his age

unless its a 2nd round pick, which the Spurs waste anyway

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Feb 6, 2009 5:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I have an interesting statistic. Rasheed Wallace leads the league with the most technical fouls this season, 13.

by TDzilla on Feb 6, 2009 11:27 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

he’d lead the league in techs for like 6 years

What the Bowen giveth Horry taketh away. --LatinD (2008 Playoffs Round 2, Game 1)

the Spurs do not defeat you so much as they grind you into tiny shards of psychological wreckage.
-the Denver Post

by Hamer_SpursFan on Feb 7, 2009 7:56 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Do it.

I dunno how, but he’s a big man who can shoot the 3, and defend. His age is the only factor in question. And, not that I necessarilly approve of some of his antics, but it might cure some of the Spurs “boredom?”

"When you fail to plan, you plan to fail." -Henry Ford
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by dfjmed on Feb 8, 2009 12:25 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

More likely Salmons or Brad Miller

With Horry and either Finley or Udoka going to the BallSACs…and Salmons being more likely to come to the Spurs. The BallSACs get out from under the Salmons contract, which has two more years after this one. Obstacles are the Kings waiting for a better offer, the restrictions on Finley’s contract, and the league office decision on whether it’s OK to sign Horry to those millions for doing nothing. Sacramento Bee reported on this today.
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/sports/kings/archives/019383.html?mi_rss=Kings+Blog+and+Q%26A

by The Dude Abides on Feb 8, 2009 12:38 AM CST reply actions 0 recs