The Thirteen Misfit Toys
By Bret Stuter
Feb 23, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Boston Celtics forward Gerald Wallace (45) reacts against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. The Celtics defeats the Suns 115-110. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Small Forward
Gerald Wallace
Okay. If you don’t see the presence of Gerald Wallace on the Sixer’s roster as something to get all giddy about, you are not alone.
But before you get out the carving knife and try to whittle him off the team, let’s do some fact checking.
Wallace is a rare veteran presence on a very young and energetic team. That type of veteran presence is a key ingredient of long term planning, as he becomes a mentor to his youthful colleagues. While many have seen Wallace as a bargaining chip that would be tossed when the roster build began, I was quick to sound the alarms on that type of thinking. He fits our plans, and he fits nicely. The economics of Wallace on this roster is simple. He has a $10M salary on a team that needs a bridge of salary to remain above the league minimum. His contract ends in 2016-17, when the team anticipates as many as six new talented and perhaps expensive faces to arrive. So that’s one aspect. Wallace has had a long and storied NBA career. He came into his own as a Charlotte Hornet, where he played from 2004 through 2011. He has playoff experience, and he has a good shot from the free throw line. Unlike Tony Wroten, his style of play generates fouls as well, but he makes the opponent pay the price. There are few NBA teams that can make use of virtually all aspects of Wallace’s game. The Sixers are one such team. He still has enough left in his tank, given enough minutes, to get the hot hand and carry the team to a victory. Does he have many 20 point games left in him? Probably not. But even one such game would impact a Sixer team scrapping for victories.
Next: Carl Landry