ducks
06-26-2006, 08:39 AM
BEN OR BUST: Wallace likely to test market
BY KRISTA JAHNKE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
June 25, 2006
photo
Big Ben watch
Will unrestricted free agent Ben Wallace stay or go? The scoop:
The three scenarios: The Pistons can re-sign Ben; sign and trade him; or he can sign with a team and the Pistons get nothing.
The money: Wallace likely wants at least $10 million a year for at least four seasons. But the Pistons will go over their salary cap and approach paying a luxury tax if they give him anything more than $10 million a year. And do they want to give a guy who will be 32 in September four or more years?
The money Part 2: A maximum contract would pay Wallace upward of $14 million a year for five or six seasons (only the Pistons can offer a six-year deal). Only Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte and Toronto have the money to come close to giving Wallace a max contract.
What about a trade? All teams could acquire Ben through a sign-and-trade. This happened with Grant Hill in 2000. Hill wanted to leave, so the Pistons signed him, then traded him to Orlando (and got Wallace in return).
What the Pistons say: Players want him back and think he'll come back. President Joe Dumars said: "At the end of the day, it's going to be Ben's call."
Roster update
The Pistons have about $49 million committed to players next season. Who's signed for next season:
STARTERS '06-07 salary
PF Rasheed Wallace $11.4 million
SF Tayshaun Prince $9.5 million
SG Richard Hamilton $8.9 million
PG Chauncey Billups $6.4 million
BENCH '06-07 salary
F Antonio McDyess $5.9 million
F/C Dale Davis $3.5 million
F Maurice Evans $1.5 million
G Carlos Delfino $1 million
F Jason Maxiell $970,000
UNSIGNED
# C Ben Wallace: Unrestricted free agent.
# G Lindsey Hunter: Unrestricted free agent. Could retire or come back to Detroit for another year.
# F Amir Johnson: The Pistons almost assuredly will keep him; they must pick up his contract option before Friday or he'll become a
restricted free agent.
# G Alex Acker: Restricted free agent.
# G Tony Delk: The Pistons expect him to become an unrestricted free agent by taking his player opt-out on his contract.
Money to spend
The Pistons have a mid-level exception -- about $5 million that can be used to sign one player or split among multiple players. Teams can use this exception even if they are already over the salary cap. For example, the Pistons used the exception to sign Antonio McDyess two years ago. San Antonio used its exception to sign Michael Finley last year. The Pistons also have a biannual exception to use this summer worth $1 million. Exceptions cannot be traded.
WHOM THE PISTONS CAN SIGN
Who can be had for $5 million? The Pistons' first need is a veteran, play-making backup point guard who can get others involved in the offense. The biggest names will be guards Jason Terry, Speedy Claxton, Bonzi Wells, Sam Cassell and Mike James. Some of these players will want more than $5 million, but the chance to play for a championship contender could sway players to take less money. Insidehoops.com compiled a list of its top free agents: (res.-restricted):
SHOOTING GUARDS
1) Bonzi Wells Sacramento
2) Flip Murray Cleveland
By week's end, the game of tug-of-war, the negotiations and rumors, and the courtship of unrestricted free agent Ben Wallace will begin.
On Saturday, Wallace, a four-time defensive player of the year who has helped carry the Pistons to the NBA Finals twice and to a championship once, will become the most coveted player in a mostly mediocre free-agent market.
And while for much of the past season it seemed a lock for Wallace, a blue-collar icon in Detroit, to remain a Piston, nothing, it seems, is certain anymore.
It seems Wallace plans to explore his options around the league.
Wallace recently had this to say in the Orlando Sentinel about his impending free agency: "Nothing in this league is automatic.
"I was never supposed to leave Washington. I was supposed to retire in Orlando. Strange things happen. It's not automatic."
In the same interview, he said, "it's not always just about the money. It's about having an opportunity to do what you're comfortable doing."
Wallace's new, high-powered agent, Arn Tellum, did not return a call for comment, and the Pistons can't talk about Wallace before the free-agency period begins Saturday.
One of his biggest bargaining chips might be offensive involvement.
Wallace doesn't want to be a 20-point scorer, but he has stated many times that he doesn't appreciate being completely shut out of an offense. That's been a point of contention in Detroit. Pistons coach Flip Saunders rarely ran plays with Wallace as the main option.
But money is no secondhand matter, either, not when this is the biggest and most lucrative contract of his career.
Wallace earned $7.35 million last season, the last of a six-year, $30-million deal he signed in 2000.
This time around, he will command at least $10 million a year for four seasons.
A maximum contract would pay him upward of $14 million a year for five or six seasons (only the Pistons can offer Wallace a six-year deal).
There is an assumption that Pistons owner Bill Davidson would never offer a post player more than four years.
But those who work closely with him say that isn't so. They classify Davidson's thinking differently.
They say the billionaire owner certainly has principles he prefers to live by, but that he'll toss them out the window in a heartbeat if people he trusts tell him there's a better way to build a winning team.
That also means -- if team president Joe Dumars can convince Davidson that it's worth it -- the Pistons could wind up going over the salary cap and paying a luxury tax, which the team has long avoided.
The Pistons won't know the tax threshold (or the salary cap, for that matter) when they begin negotiations with Wallace on Saturday, and Alan Ostfield, the team's chief operating officer and assistant general manager, prefers not to make educated guesses.
"I think some teams try to project based on truly complicated formulas," Ostfield said, "but I firmly believe that that's the kind of thing you spend 19 hours trying to project it and then you're wrong. It's not even worth it."
Last season, the cap was $49.5 million, with the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax kicking it at $61.7 million.
Those numbers will likely rise.
The Pistons have already committed $49.07 million to their nine players under contract for next season, meaning the Pistons will go over the cap and approach the tax threshold if they give Wallace anything more than $10 million.
Being so close to the cap means the Pistons should either retain Wallace or lose him only through a sign-and-trade.
That's because if he signs with a team with cap space -- only Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte and Toronto have enough room to woo him without a sign-and-trade -- then the Pistons will be left with nothing in return and no cap space with which to work.
Still, it's questionable how much interest there will be for Wallace around the league.
With such limited offensive abilities and an especially bad reputation for free-throw shooting, his game is a unique one that wouldn't work well in every system.
And Wallace did get some negative publicity this season for failing to re-enter a game in Orlando and speaking out against his coach in the playoffs.
Regardless, people close to the team say rumors that they've grown sick of Wallace's act are baseless.
As the biggest name on the market, Wallace will be the instigator in free-agent action, not only in Detroit but around the league as well.
Once his status is settled, the Pistons have two exceptions to spend. The mid-level exception is worth $5 million and can go to one player in whole or can be split among multiple players. They also hold a $1-million biannual exception.
Both those exceptions can be used despite a team's salary cap status, but they do contribute to total salary in terms of luxury tax.
Who's out there for the taking?
The biggest names are guards Jason Terry, Al Harrington, Speedy Claxton, Bonzi Wells, Peja Stojakovic (he can opt out), Sam Cassell and Mike James (also will opt out), forwards Nene (restricted), Reggie Evans, Drew Gooden and Toni Kukoc, and centers Alonzo Mourning and Nazr Mohammed.
Pistons guards Lindsey Hunter and Tony Delk will both be unrestricted free agents.
Hunter is questioning whether he will retire, while the Pistons expect Delk to take the player opt-out on his contract.
It's not a superstar class, but as Wallace said, nothing is automatic.
Once the free-agency period begins and general managers start chatting, trades come down, players move, and you can't predict much of anything at all.
"While the draft is the most unpredictable thing because you're talking about such unknown quantities," Pistons vice president John Hammond said, "free agency is generally much more predictable. But once the movement starts happening and players signing and sign-and-trade scenarios pop up, who knows? I'd hate to say this is a poor class.
"On paper, there have been better and stronger, but I don't want to take anything away from this class, especially with a guy like Ben Wallace at the front of it."
Contact KRISTA JAHNKE at 313-223-4493 or [email protected].
Copyright © 2006 Detroit Free Press Inc.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060625/SPORTS03/606250663/1051&template=printart
BY KRISTA JAHNKE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
June 25, 2006
photo
Big Ben watch
Will unrestricted free agent Ben Wallace stay or go? The scoop:
The three scenarios: The Pistons can re-sign Ben; sign and trade him; or he can sign with a team and the Pistons get nothing.
The money: Wallace likely wants at least $10 million a year for at least four seasons. But the Pistons will go over their salary cap and approach paying a luxury tax if they give him anything more than $10 million a year. And do they want to give a guy who will be 32 in September four or more years?
The money Part 2: A maximum contract would pay Wallace upward of $14 million a year for five or six seasons (only the Pistons can offer a six-year deal). Only Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte and Toronto have the money to come close to giving Wallace a max contract.
What about a trade? All teams could acquire Ben through a sign-and-trade. This happened with Grant Hill in 2000. Hill wanted to leave, so the Pistons signed him, then traded him to Orlando (and got Wallace in return).
What the Pistons say: Players want him back and think he'll come back. President Joe Dumars said: "At the end of the day, it's going to be Ben's call."
Roster update
The Pistons have about $49 million committed to players next season. Who's signed for next season:
STARTERS '06-07 salary
PF Rasheed Wallace $11.4 million
SF Tayshaun Prince $9.5 million
SG Richard Hamilton $8.9 million
PG Chauncey Billups $6.4 million
BENCH '06-07 salary
F Antonio McDyess $5.9 million
F/C Dale Davis $3.5 million
F Maurice Evans $1.5 million
G Carlos Delfino $1 million
F Jason Maxiell $970,000
UNSIGNED
# C Ben Wallace: Unrestricted free agent.
# G Lindsey Hunter: Unrestricted free agent. Could retire or come back to Detroit for another year.
# F Amir Johnson: The Pistons almost assuredly will keep him; they must pick up his contract option before Friday or he'll become a
restricted free agent.
# G Alex Acker: Restricted free agent.
# G Tony Delk: The Pistons expect him to become an unrestricted free agent by taking his player opt-out on his contract.
Money to spend
The Pistons have a mid-level exception -- about $5 million that can be used to sign one player or split among multiple players. Teams can use this exception even if they are already over the salary cap. For example, the Pistons used the exception to sign Antonio McDyess two years ago. San Antonio used its exception to sign Michael Finley last year. The Pistons also have a biannual exception to use this summer worth $1 million. Exceptions cannot be traded.
WHOM THE PISTONS CAN SIGN
Who can be had for $5 million? The Pistons' first need is a veteran, play-making backup point guard who can get others involved in the offense. The biggest names will be guards Jason Terry, Speedy Claxton, Bonzi Wells, Sam Cassell and Mike James. Some of these players will want more than $5 million, but the chance to play for a championship contender could sway players to take less money. Insidehoops.com compiled a list of its top free agents: (res.-restricted):
SHOOTING GUARDS
1) Bonzi Wells Sacramento
2) Flip Murray Cleveland
By week's end, the game of tug-of-war, the negotiations and rumors, and the courtship of unrestricted free agent Ben Wallace will begin.
On Saturday, Wallace, a four-time defensive player of the year who has helped carry the Pistons to the NBA Finals twice and to a championship once, will become the most coveted player in a mostly mediocre free-agent market.
And while for much of the past season it seemed a lock for Wallace, a blue-collar icon in Detroit, to remain a Piston, nothing, it seems, is certain anymore.
It seems Wallace plans to explore his options around the league.
Wallace recently had this to say in the Orlando Sentinel about his impending free agency: "Nothing in this league is automatic.
"I was never supposed to leave Washington. I was supposed to retire in Orlando. Strange things happen. It's not automatic."
In the same interview, he said, "it's not always just about the money. It's about having an opportunity to do what you're comfortable doing."
Wallace's new, high-powered agent, Arn Tellum, did not return a call for comment, and the Pistons can't talk about Wallace before the free-agency period begins Saturday.
One of his biggest bargaining chips might be offensive involvement.
Wallace doesn't want to be a 20-point scorer, but he has stated many times that he doesn't appreciate being completely shut out of an offense. That's been a point of contention in Detroit. Pistons coach Flip Saunders rarely ran plays with Wallace as the main option.
But money is no secondhand matter, either, not when this is the biggest and most lucrative contract of his career.
Wallace earned $7.35 million last season, the last of a six-year, $30-million deal he signed in 2000.
This time around, he will command at least $10 million a year for four seasons.
A maximum contract would pay him upward of $14 million a year for five or six seasons (only the Pistons can offer Wallace a six-year deal).
There is an assumption that Pistons owner Bill Davidson would never offer a post player more than four years.
But those who work closely with him say that isn't so. They classify Davidson's thinking differently.
They say the billionaire owner certainly has principles he prefers to live by, but that he'll toss them out the window in a heartbeat if people he trusts tell him there's a better way to build a winning team.
That also means -- if team president Joe Dumars can convince Davidson that it's worth it -- the Pistons could wind up going over the salary cap and paying a luxury tax, which the team has long avoided.
The Pistons won't know the tax threshold (or the salary cap, for that matter) when they begin negotiations with Wallace on Saturday, and Alan Ostfield, the team's chief operating officer and assistant general manager, prefers not to make educated guesses.
"I think some teams try to project based on truly complicated formulas," Ostfield said, "but I firmly believe that that's the kind of thing you spend 19 hours trying to project it and then you're wrong. It's not even worth it."
Last season, the cap was $49.5 million, with the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax kicking it at $61.7 million.
Those numbers will likely rise.
The Pistons have already committed $49.07 million to their nine players under contract for next season, meaning the Pistons will go over the cap and approach the tax threshold if they give Wallace anything more than $10 million.
Being so close to the cap means the Pistons should either retain Wallace or lose him only through a sign-and-trade.
That's because if he signs with a team with cap space -- only Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte and Toronto have enough room to woo him without a sign-and-trade -- then the Pistons will be left with nothing in return and no cap space with which to work.
Still, it's questionable how much interest there will be for Wallace around the league.
With such limited offensive abilities and an especially bad reputation for free-throw shooting, his game is a unique one that wouldn't work well in every system.
And Wallace did get some negative publicity this season for failing to re-enter a game in Orlando and speaking out against his coach in the playoffs.
Regardless, people close to the team say rumors that they've grown sick of Wallace's act are baseless.
As the biggest name on the market, Wallace will be the instigator in free-agent action, not only in Detroit but around the league as well.
Once his status is settled, the Pistons have two exceptions to spend. The mid-level exception is worth $5 million and can go to one player in whole or can be split among multiple players. They also hold a $1-million biannual exception.
Both those exceptions can be used despite a team's salary cap status, but they do contribute to total salary in terms of luxury tax.
Who's out there for the taking?
The biggest names are guards Jason Terry, Al Harrington, Speedy Claxton, Bonzi Wells, Peja Stojakovic (he can opt out), Sam Cassell and Mike James (also will opt out), forwards Nene (restricted), Reggie Evans, Drew Gooden and Toni Kukoc, and centers Alonzo Mourning and Nazr Mohammed.
Pistons guards Lindsey Hunter and Tony Delk will both be unrestricted free agents.
Hunter is questioning whether he will retire, while the Pistons expect Delk to take the player opt-out on his contract.
It's not a superstar class, but as Wallace said, nothing is automatic.
Once the free-agency period begins and general managers start chatting, trades come down, players move, and you can't predict much of anything at all.
"While the draft is the most unpredictable thing because you're talking about such unknown quantities," Pistons vice president John Hammond said, "free agency is generally much more predictable. But once the movement starts happening and players signing and sign-and-trade scenarios pop up, who knows? I'd hate to say this is a poor class.
"On paper, there have been better and stronger, but I don't want to take anything away from this class, especially with a guy like Ben Wallace at the front of it."
Contact KRISTA JAHNKE at 313-223-4493 or [email protected].
Copyright © 2006 Detroit Free Press Inc.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060625/SPORTS03/606250663/1051&template=printart