If the Pistons break up their vaunted core, Rasheed Wallace may be the first out of town: in addition to exemplifying the team's problems with consistency and frequent complaining to the referees, he's also heading into the final year of his contract, which makes him valuable to teams looking to unload salary.While I wholeheartedly disagree with the notion that he's a locker room cancer, there's no doubt that his presence is often a distraction. Consider the events just from the last week:
-- After receiving his sixth technical foul of the postseason (one away from a mandatory league suspension) in Game 5, his profanity-laced post-game tirade about the officials earned him a $25,000 fine.
-- Lindsey Hunter revealed that his teammates complained to Wallace about being so friendly with Kevin Garnett during the Boston series. The complaints were most likely said in jest but sparked a controversy on the talk radio circuit and were the first thing Flip Saunders was asked about in his comments to the press before Game 6.
-- On the eve of the most important game of the season, Wallace was 15 minutes late to Friday's morning shootaround. Players are required to be at the arena at least 90 minutes before tipoff, but, as noted near the end of this article, Wallace cut that too close, as well.
-- During pregame introductions, he seemed distracted and less enthusiastic:
-- Once the game started, he was largely ineffective, finishing with more fouls (five) than points (four) and was caught on the air swearing to a camera man.
-- After the game, he was the last player to emerge from the shower area, I was among the throng of reporters waiting for him, and when he finally did come out, he let us know he wasn't going to talk by saying we may as well "kick rocks." He then grabbed some clothes and went back to the shower area to dress, which is highly unusual for any player to do. The locker room was then closed, ensuring that he'd dodge any questions. From what I saw, he was the only player who declined to talk to the media.
-- On Saturday, Wallace was a no-show as the rest of the Pistons met at the Palace to clean out their lockers. It wasn't a mandatory team function, but it's something everybody generally does together.
Separately, none of these things are a big of a deal, especially during the stretches in which Wallace lives up to his All-Star billing. But given his increasingly uneven play when it counts the most, these distractions may end up being the last straw.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-01-2008 @ 8:07AM
Feruw said...
"Lindsey Hunter revealed that his teammates complained to Wallace about being so friendly with Kevin Garnett during the Boston series."
Where was Lindsay when Rasheed was doing this 5 years ago with Jermaine O'Neal during those playoff series. This wasn't anything new.
"During pregame introductions, he seemed distracted and less enthusiastic"
Or was it that he was actually focused and getting ready. Most NBA fans when they see him dancing around with the bench guys before the game think he's acting like a jackass, river dancing before the game and all.
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6-01-2008 @ 11:48AM
Philly Love said...
His presence is a distraction that I would love to have in Philly. He's the type of low post presence we need and he's a local guy to boot.
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6-01-2008 @ 2:30PM
Jared said...
Send him to Charlotte
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6-01-2008 @ 2:56PM
Dr Huxtable said...
@Philly Love - If you think that Sheed will ever consistently play the low post, then you're out of your mind. Sure, when he does play down low he's a top 5 talent, but his refusal to do so is maddening. Nobody should want Sheed on their team.
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6-01-2008 @ 3:58PM
Lakergregg said...
This guy is a joke.
Granted he is in no way close to the talent Kobe is, but Kobe's been criticized at least twice for taking playoff gemes off, remember Sacramento.
Where's all the criticism of Mr. pie bald (thats the medical name for that spot on his head), he clearly wasn't into game 6 and let his team down and didn't really seem to care.He's illiterate, which has nothing to do with b-ball I just wanted to get it in.
Bottom line Rasheed Wallace is not going to make or break a team, get rid of him Detroit and next to go should be Flip.
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6-01-2008 @ 4:15PM
frank said...
He is a wild man;
He does not want to play anymore;
His antics with the Refs make him a target and a distraction for his team;
So give him his walking papers!
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6-02-2008 @ 4:57PM
msufan1423 said...
For all you Sheed Haters.
1. Yes, he sucked in game 6 and din't care. Agreed. But last year Detroit was just as self centered, and it cost them as well. But if I remember right, the ONLY GUY that came to play in the Cleveland series was Rasheed. So Lay off.
2. The intro and before hand game 6 was kind of weird. He didn't rally the crowd which he been doing for years... kind of odd. Yeah, he is out of control... but how can you not love it.. and btw, his 6th technical was not a technical foul. He was just showing the ref what happened.. ANYONE ELSE would have not got a T... only sheed, which is BS.
3. Yeah, sheed probably is gonna go.. but I don't think you get rid of flip... my opinion, yea a coach is the one person that needs to pump his team up... but with this crew, I'm not sure he can, cuz they simply don't care.
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6-04-2008 @ 10:16AM
ben said...
Detroit as a team is to blame. Sure sheed didnt show up in game six, but its not like he didnt try. If prince hadnt had a bag shooting game as well they would have been fine. Detroit is a jump shooting team bottom line. If they have two of their main four in a shooting slump they will lose almost every game. Game five sheed was 6-7 from behind the 3 point line. I totally agree that sheeds drama with the officiating hurts his team but that is the fault of the league and the refs. The refs should always take backstage to the game but with sheed they let their pride dictate their whistles at least for techs, which is bull sh!t. And his comments about the flopping and acting are so dead on I can only love him more for them. If you really feel sheed is detroits problem you;
1. just dont like the pistons.
2. think team basketball is for chumps who dont have a stupor-star.
3. think stats matter more than W's
4. if you like detroit and sheed leaves you are in for a huge disappointment.
At the heart of it is that the detroit team that won a championship in 04 and fell a few points short in 05 made the commissioner and the league change the nba completely (if you dont know what im talking about thats on you to figure out). And when/if sheed leaves detroit that will truly be the end of their era. He had no question the quickest hands of any big man in the nba he is just not very clutch when it comes to the last shot.
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6-04-2008 @ 2:44PM
randy payne said...
you guys need to let sheed be everyone else didnt play up to there full potential and stucky theres one that need to let go hes a ball hog and cant make a layup he tries to be like billups and hes not and getting rid of saunders was a mistake
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6-04-2008 @ 3:17PM
ROsborne said...
Attitude is everything. Alltime biggest cry-baby. He quit this year, just like last year, just like next year. Over-rated! Grow-up!!
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6-04-2008 @ 3:18PM
ROsborne said...
Whatta bum. He quit this year, just like last year, just like next year. Attitude is everything. I hate to watch this guy on TV. His kids (if he has any) should be ashamed. No class, no respect. He is beyond juvenile and really scares me (and I'm a tough guy!). His mother and wife (if he has either are probably embarrassed as well (tho very very rich). A fine example for the youth of America to model themselves after. Y'all call him 'Sheed, I call him something else.
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6-04-2008 @ 4:58PM
Tonet said...
Not one player can say they consistently play good every time they are on the court. With that said, Detroit knows when one player is not playing his A-game, the others must step-up. As a team, I believe that to be Detroit's strong point. In certain series', if a player have to guard a Kevin Garnett or a Labron James, he's not going to produce what his numbers were during the regular season. With this common knowledge, I'm not making excuses for the absence of certain players in certain series', but I have to make note of the absence of Wallace. I can just look at his face and tell when he's not going to have a good much less productive night. Unfortunately, Wallace has not wanted to play for a long time. My summation came during last season's fiasco. He is more of a liability than an asset. He is uninterested and it shows. I'm sure that the Pistons are looking in the mirror and blaming no one else for their demise, as they should, but at the same time with two ailing teamates, they needed Sheed and he let them down. His teammates can fan the situation and pretend like they "deal" with Sheed and his outbursts in their way, but it's getting old, just as their roster, and Sheed's disinterested, distracted, violatile attitude must be dealt with. If they trade him I believe it's one season too late. Hang in there A-Mac, change is a coming.
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