G. Wall article on ESPN

[magnifier661]

Not Hollywood. Not New York. Not Miami

I like their take on Wallace and the fast break:

Wallace chewed up the open court in transition. Whereas some players have the self-serving habit of lingering around the circle on defense waiting for the first chance to leak out on the break, Wallace almost always remains in the play. He's primed defensively, prepared to box out his guy or zip in from the weak side to contest a shot if there's an opportunity. But once the shot goes up and it's clear by the ball's trajectory that Marcus Camby or another teammate has a bead on the rebound, Wallace zips down the floor -- and nobody is going to win a foot race down the floor against Gerald Wallace.

His ability to not leak out and leave our D open; yet has the instincts to still be one of the targets on the fast break is pretty amazing.

 

[magnifier661]

Portland can't compete with Los Angeles, New York and Miami in many respects, but spend five minutes at the Rose Garden on game night and you'll be infected by the vibe. Having suffered a broken heart with Roy's retirement, Oden's endless trials and the disintegration of what looked like the best collection of young talent in the league, Trail Blazers fans desperately need a vehicle for their boundless affection. Wallace is the most recent recipient for that love.

This is sooooo true. When I saw that place ranting Wallace, and cheers thereafter. I was like "Man I wish I was there being a part of that!"

 

[Nikolokolus]

Interesting how you missed this bit:

Wallace was shocked last March when he was dealt from Charlotte to Portland. Normally reticent, Wallace called the trade a "slap in the face," and a "stab in the back." Few players list Charlotte as a preferred destination but Wallace, a native southerner, is one of them. Only 28 years old, he declared with an endearing naiveté that he thought he'd retire a Bobcat. Instead, he got dumped into a reserve role as far away from Childersburg, Alabama as you can get in the NBA.

In July, Wallace can opt out of his current deal which is scheduled to pay him $11.4 million in 2012-13. There will be far more cap space than players worthy of it next summer, and Wallace -- who will turn 30 during the free agency bonanza -- will likely command big money from a team

One of the main reasons some of us advocate trading him while his value is at its highest.

 

[magnifier661]

Interesting how you missed this bit:



One of the main reasons some of us advocate trading him while his value is at its highest.

Oh I didn't miss it, but I'm not concerned with it. Did you see the interview on Blazer.com; where he said he wants to retire a Blazer? That was coming straight from his mouth. So all the "what if's" are fine and could be possible; but I'm more interested in the "substancials" and that's him publically saying he wants to stay here.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I guess we'll see ...

 

[tlongII]

Interesting how you missed this bit:



One of the main reasons some of us advocate trading him while his value is at its highest.

I don't want to trade him as long as we have a chance to do something special this season. Gerald is my favorite player on the team.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I don't want to trade him as long as we have a chance to do something special this season. Gerald is my favorite player on the team.

I'm all for letting it ride until the trade deadline and then seeing where we're at, but regardless of where Wallace wants to go or even if he says he wants to "retire" here, is that really the best thing? I'm OK with the team paying him 10-11 million this year and possibly into next, but after that the luxury tax rules are going to be brutal and PA has already said he's done with having one of the highest payrolls in the league. If his market value goes up to 13-14 million/yr for 4 years I foresee an Alex Rodriguez situation a few years down the line where he's being paid for what he used to be instead of what he's actually able to deliver.

Some people are inevitably going to dismiss what I'm saying and tend to gloss over it, but wing players like GW just don't age all that gracefully after 30 -- this should be a legitimate long term concern for people who actually care about the team.

 

[HailBlazers]

but wing players like GW just don't age all that gracefully after 30 --

Care to name a few players, "like" Gerald Wallace?

 

[The_Lillard_King]

This is sooooo true. When I saw that place ranting Wallace, and cheers thereafter. I was like "Man I wish I was there being a part of that!"

This is why I am for keeping Wallace.

I get there are future Blazers games out there in the years to come. But my tickets are for 2011-2012 . . . and nights like last night are the reason I buy season tickets. You just didn't have that atmosohere for 5 long years at the Rose Garden. I couldn't give away tickets during that time period. Now everybody is asking if they can go or if they can buy my tickets.

Trade Wallace for future non lottery draft picks?

 

[Pinwheel1]

Damn i wsih they would have fixed the CBA so you could use an amnesty every year. GW will get about 30 million over 3 years. He is well worth it if healthy.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Damn i wsih they would have fixed the CBA so you could use an amnesty every year. GW will get about 30 million over 3 years. He is well worth it if healthy.

Non-guaranteed contracts . . . what a wonderful NBA world that would be

 

[MickZagger]

Care to name a few players, "like" Gerald Wallace?

Ruben Patterson?

Okay nevermind. LOL

 

[B-Roy]

Care to name a few players, "like" Gerald Wallace?

Shawn Marion kind of comes to mind. Wallace creates most of his opportunities off hustle though. I don't think he'll age as bad as people think.

 

[magnifier661]

Marion and Wallace are good comparison; which still doesn't help the debate. They are both at the same stages of their careers.

 

[B-Roy]

Marion and Wallace are good comparison; which still doesn't help the debate. They are both at the same stages of their careers.

Wallace is 29. Marion is 33. That's a big difference in age.

 

[magnifier661]

Wallace is 29. Marion is 33. That's a big difference in age.

Which even makes this more of a debate. How can anyone think that Wallace is just another wing? I believe Marion has another 3 years left too on his contract right? Why wouldn't we have Wallace for 3 very solid years too?

 

[Nikolokolus]

Care to name a few players, "like" Gerald Wallace?

First of all, Gerald Wallace isn't some unique player that we've never seen before (by style). Secondly, are you really trying to tell me you've never seen a slashing wing with great athleticism, decline rapidly after hitting 30?

If you can't think of any I'll help you:
Shawn Marion
Vince Carter
Tracy McGrady
Corey Maggette
Caron Butler ...

I'm sure there's more, but frankly I don't really feel like doing all of that work. At this point I'd say the burden of proof is on you to show me all of these high fliers that held up really well after 30.

 

[B-Roy]

Which even makes this more of a debate. How can anyone think that Wallace is just another wing? I believe Marion has another 3 years left too on his contract right? Why wouldn't we have Wallace for 3 very solid years too?

Actually, Marion started to decline at about 30. He's not nearly the same player he was before, and not close to how good Wallace is right now. The question isn't whether or not they can still be a solid player, the question is whether or not you'd be willing to pay 10+ million a year for that player. (Which is what you would be doing for the later years of Wallace's new contract)

 

[magnifier661]

Actually, Marion started to decline at about 30. He's not nearly the same player he was before, and not close to how good Wallace is right now. The question isn't whether or not they can still be a solid player, the question is whether or not you'd be willing to pay 10+ million a year for that player. (Which is what you would be doing for the later years of Wallace's new contract)

I'm thinking 9 mil per.

 

[B-Roy]

I'm thinking 9 mil per.

He's not getting 9 per. Especially this offseason when SO many teams have capspace. Unless he gets injured or something, (In which case, he'd take his PO), you're almost guaranteed to pay 10-14 million per year.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'm thinking 9 mil per.

That's below market then ... He may like Portland, but if somebody comes knocking with a 12 million per year offer that would be tough for him to turn down, and possibly foolish for the team to match from a fiscal perspective.

 

[magnifier661]

That's below market then ... He may like Portland, but if somebody comes knocking with a 12 million per year offer that would be tough for him to turn down, and possibly foolish for the team to match from a fiscal perspective.

U really think he gets that? I don't know you maybe right. But even in that case, if it's for 3 years, wouldn't you think he would be worth that if he can keep up that play?

 

[Nikolokolus]

U really think he gets that? I don't know you maybe right. But even in that case, if it's for 3 years, wouldn't you think he would be worth that if he can keep up that play?

Too many dollars chasing too few players this summer ... that means lots of guys are going to get overpaid.

As for predicting his future, first of all try to keep it in the back of your mind that his first two games are about 2 or 3 standard deviations above his normal level of play -- he's going to regress from his torrid start (awesome though it may be) and from his prime you can expect a further decline as the career minutes pile up (remember GW came into the league as an 18 year old) -- I suppose anything is possible, but if you want to talk about probabilities, the chance of him declining in a year or two are far greater than him somehow defying father time and experiencing no decline. Already you can see that he goes for more layups than dunks than he used to throw down in years past.

 

[Rhal]

First of all, Gerald Wallace isn't some unique player that we've never seen before (by style). Secondly, are you really trying to tell me you've never seen a slashing wing with great athleticism, decline rapidly after hitting 30?

If you can't think of any I'll help you:
Shawn Marion
Vince Carter
Tracy McGrady
Caron Butler ...

I'm sure there's more, but frankly I don't really feel like doing all of that work. At this point I'd say the burden of proof is on you to show me all of these high fliers that held up really well after 30.

Vince Carter has bad ankles and Butler/McGrady both have had multiple surgeries on both there legs. The only real wing (from the lat 8 years) that holds up when you compare Wallace to him is Marion but Marion was nowhere near as athletic as Wallace so there will be a bigger drop off in Wallace's game by 33 then there is in Marions at the moment. I love Wallace but I wouldn't want to give him a high paying contract that will have him here tell 2015, at least untill we can see what we could get this off season.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Vince Carter has bad ankles and Butler/McGrady both have had multiple surgeries on both there legs. The only real wing (from the lat 8 years) that holds up when you compare Wallace to him is Marion but Marion was nowhere near as athletic as Wallace so there will be a bigger drop off in Wallace's game by 33 then there is in Marions at the moment. I love Wallace but I wouldn't want to give him a high paying contract that will have him here tell 2015, at least untill we can see what we could get this off season.

Are you kidding me? Matrix in his prime was a freak athlete in Phoenix.

 

[<-=*PdX*=->]

Oh I didn't miss it, but I'm not concerned with it. Did you see the interview on Blazer.com; where he said he wants to retire a Blazer? That was coming straight from his mouth. So all the "what if's" are fine and could be possible; but I'm more interested in the "substancials" and that's him publically saying he wants to stay here.

Pujols said he wanted to retire a Cardinal... Words mean nothing.

 

[Natebishop3]

Vince Carter has bad ankles and Butler/McGrady both have had multiple surgeries on both there legs. The only real wing (from the lat 8 years) that holds up when you compare Wallace to him is Marion but Marion was nowhere near as athletic as Wallace so there will be a bigger drop off in Wallace's game by 33 then there is in Marions at the moment. I love Wallace but I wouldn't want to give him a high paying contract that will have him here tell 2015, at least untill we can see what we could get this off season.

LOL you really need to go look up Marion on youtube... that statement is laughable.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Come on, you all are talking about the athleticism of Marion v. allace. But did you forget that Wallace has better basketball skills? Their athleticism may be similar, but IMO, Wallace has always had better basketball skills.

 

[B-Roy]

Come on, you all are talking about the athleticism of Marion v. allace. But did you forget that Wallace has better basketball skills? Their athleticism may be similar, but IMO, Wallace has always had better basketball skills.

Please elaborate? Marion had Nash in Phoenix, but stats wise, Prime Marion was better than Prime Wallace.

 

[magnifier661]

Please elaborate? Marion had Nash in Phoenix, but stats wise, Prime Marion was better than Prime Wallace.

I'd really like to see the head to head on basketball reference. I have a feeling you are wrong in terms with per, during their prime years.