Ben Wallace unhappy with Detroit’s offer

How come Cleveland, Washington, or Philadelphia can’t sign Wallace without doing a sign and trade? Is this because signing Wallace would take these teams over the cap, and the NBA doesn’t let that happen?

I thought you could go over the cap, but you would be subject to a penalty?

Some clarification would be helpful!

When you are over the cap (it’s a tricky definition), you only can use Exceptions to sign free agents that are NOT your own.

The largest exception is the Mid-Level, which is estimated at approx. $5.5 million for the first year of the deal with maximum 8% raises.

Since Ben is looking for a $12 million PLUS deal, those teams cannot sign him for that much. They would need Detroit to sign him to an agreed upon amount, and then trade with Detroit for the newly contracted Ben Wallace.

Because Ben was last a Piston, and for more than 3 years, the Pistons can sign him to any amount (up to the maximum for a 10 year veteran, $16.8? million) with 10.5% raises. These are called “Bird Rights”.

That is why the only serious competitors are teams like Chicago and Atlanta. They are way under the cap, and can offer large deals because they are not limited to using only Exceptions on new free agent talent.

I hope that helps. If you need more help, you can try www.realgm.com or www.pistonsforum.com. At the former you can get a lot of contract expertise, and at the latter, we’ve pretty much got the situation with Ben mastered, with several folks knowledgeable enough to explain this in further detail.

Hopefully Ben watched Steve Yzerman announce him retirement and realize what it means to be a Detroit sports icon and legend. Ben would retire from Detroit a legend.

Even if Ben watched Yzerman, I don’t think that overshadows 50 milliion dollars, or the chance to play for a REAL dynasty like the Bulls. I would personally take the 4 million?, and a chance to play for a team on the way up, as opposed to the Pistons, which I’m sorry to say Detroit- IS ON THE WAY DOWN.

I agree, Fadel. I’ve loved Ben since he came to Detroit, but his behavior this past year has just been bizarre and seemingly out of character. I know he’s had a lot of personal turmoil that he’s gone through and I’ve tried to write off his more public snits as abherrations, but when you poo-poo a 50 million dollar contact in the media, it just makes you look petty. I’m not really offended that he thinks he’s earned more, but he should shut up about it and do his complaining to his agent and to Dumars. Don’t bitch to the media about a cool 50 mill not tickling his fancy. If he wants to cash in that’s fine, but insinuating that an offer like that is some kind of insult especially these days, where average people are increasingly squeezed is just bad form.

If those figures are indeed correct then I feel that it is an entirely fair and reasonable contract for both parties. By making Wallace the highest paid player in the team the Pistons have done two things;

1. Reward him for the seasons in which he was not being paid commensurate with his standing in the game.

and

2. Demonstrated a level of respect despite the fact that the sands of his hourglass are running out and with his best days seemingly behind him.

Certainly this is the most interesting off-season for the Mo-town boys in quite a while.

Hey micro,

Thanks a lot! I always figured that the NBA was generally like baseball with a salary cap in that you could sign anyone you wanted, but if you went over the cap, you just paid a penalty and that’s it.

Clearly I was mistaken. Thanks again.

Geez you guys are slackin, Wallace is off the market and will sign with Chicago on July 12.

He’s a traitor. He left over a measly $2.4 million difference.

He’s not a traitor, the Bulls showed him the money. The Bulls are stupid to throw that money at Wallace when they have all that youth and talent….good luck when he’s 34 years old and he’s a poor man’s Antonio Davis (only without the size, and even more limited offensive ability).

Measly 2.4 mil?, I can’t say I have that much $$$, but it doesn’t matter!
BEN WALLACE IS NOW A BULL!
HAHAHAHA

He’s a traitor for leaving over that kind of money when we were offering him practically the same amount.

After thinking about it, I don’t even think the money was a factor for him leaving. I don’t think he like the system he was in with Flippy.

For whatever reason he left (albeit however bogus it is)…I think Detroit made out in the deal. Yes, you lose a key piece of your team. Yes, you lose a guy that was one of the reasons your team has been one of the best for the last 4 seasons…but it has to go even further than that..

You’ve got Rick Carlisle who won 50+ games in 2 seasons as the coach…brought them back from mediocrity. He was fired…You’ve got Larry Brown who won 50+ games in 2 seasons as the coach, 1 of them he won a title and the other he made the Finals. He was fired..oops I mean released from his contract…Flip won 64 games with the team, and caught heat from everyone from the media to the fans.

You make an offer to Ben Wallace and say that’s your final offer. You get rid of Darko for nothing. You sign up McDyess who has a clear history of injuries AS A STARTER for 4 seasons. Chauncey will leave after next season, I just see it happening.

There comes a time when we have to look at what’s going on upstairs. Joe D. has our best ideals in mind when making these decisions..I don’t and won’t ever doubt that…but we’ve locked ourselves in to terrible salary cap flexibility, and now that Ben is gone we have no cash to throw at anyone. So much for signing Bonzi…so much for signing Speedy Claxton…

It’s time to make trades to bring in depth to this team. We need a big man to fill a position on the bench since Ben is gone. Maxiell and Amir Johnson can fill the big man hole, but they need an experienced big man (I hate to say it…but like Kelvin Cato)…

I say you seriously consider deals involving Billups. You don’t want Billups to leave next off-season, and at this rate, he will.

Hmmmmmm…

Well it seems Wallace, Ben has left the building.

Your move I believe Mr Dumars.

sheesh. i’m hitting the bottle tonight.

It’s not such a bad thing to say bye bye to Ben…
Yes, he was great for awhile, he helped define us, and was a big part of what we became. But, at the end of the day, he is a HUGE hindrance on the offensive end. I look forward to watching the Pistons play 5 on 5 on offense in the playoffs next year.
Moreover, I think he personally made a big mistake going to Chicago. Here in Detroit, we would always support him because of what he meant to us, but in Chicago? You think fans will be so supportive after the 4 point, 7 rebound nights? You don’t think he’ll catch heat for his free throw shooting. He was in the perfect situation here, I expect it to go disastrous for him over there.
Anyway, good bye Ben. Thanks for the memories. Enjoy your extra 2 million, hope it’s worth all the headaches it’s going to bring.

He’s not a traitor. That’s bitter fan bullshit. If you’re going to bitch about him leaving than you need to get a fucking life. Would you turn down $2 million? Fuck no. Idiots. The man was a warrior here for several years and is the main reason we were able to celebrate a world championship in 2004. I can’t look at a soon-to-be 32-year-old who’s taken a beating for the last four years and hate him for taking more money somewhere else, even if it is “only” $2 million or so more. He was obviously unhappy with Flip’s style of coaching and he was more of a detriment than anything else for most of the playoffs. Thanks for the hard work and for your part in the championship.

Now let’s find someone younger and hungrier to replace him.

Just remember…Detroit has some good pieces still. Maybe not 64 wins good…but I still wouldn’t want to play a healthy Detroit team in the playoffs.

R.I.P Wallace, all the way from newf Land!!! LETS GO BBB BILLUPS, rip hamilton, Prince, and SHEEEEEEED!!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!

Tough loss. It looks like Marty Burns was right.

To me, this was most likely a lose-lose situation for Joe D, though … overpay to keep him around past his prime, or lose him for nothing.

“You think Bulls fans will be supportive after 4 point, 7 rebound nights?” Bulls fans were overly patient with Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler. How does Ben’s effort compare to theirs? ;)

Ben Wallace isn’t 34, he’s 32, and he was under-utilized the first years of his career. He’s played 10,000 minutes less than Kevin Garnett, and he’s played only one season’s worth more minutes than Shawn Marion or Elton Brand. And it seems like he’s in okay shape.

It’s a masterstroke by John Paxson, if it’s true. He added the hands-down best defensive center to the best defensive (Opp FG%) team in the NBA the last two years. It enables Paxson to trade Tyson Chandler and free up $10 mil/year on that deal. It’s another step, just like drafting Thomas & Sefolosha, to building the most athletic team and the best defense in the NBA. Reinsdorf and Paxson and Skiles are all on the same page. Big Ben isn’t a traitor. It’s a great opportunity on many different levels. Could there be a bettor mentor for Tyrus Thomas than Ben Wallace?

And last but not least, it weakens the Bulls’ #1 division rivals both on the court and financially. The Pistons have been saving up for this for years and now they’re stuck with a mid-level exception.

Next year Isiah Thomas drives the Knicks into the ground and hands the Bulls another top 5 draft pick, while Big Ben and the Bulls beat the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

I can dream, can’t I?

Man oh man. Talk all you want about how it’s a good move or whatever. I think it sucks. Some of my fondest memories as a teenager were going to watch our Fab Five play right here at home. What reputable big man do we have to replace him?

I’m with Allrights. I’m drinking. Right now, at 1:04 AM Tuesday morning, I’m drinking.

If this decision was going to come down to a few paltry millions (in the grand scheme of things, mind you), I started wondering about the marketing factor involved. I would have to think Ben not wearing a Pistons uni takes a hit, marketing-wise. Even though Chicago is considered one of the top three markets, isn’t Ben’s identity that of THE team player on what was THE ultimate team? And after establishing that over the past few years as a Piston, now people will have to adjust to him in a new uni as a guy who wasn’t enough of a team player to take 2 million less to stick with said team. If you’re T-Mobile, are you planning on writing a new Ben Wallace commercial? Somehow it seems less likely. Isn’t that incentive enough to eschew the 2 million to stay in Detroit?

And for the Pistons, isn’t there a marketing hit there as well? You certainly ain’t selling any red, white and blue ‘Fros anytime soon. And without looking it up, I would have to think Ben’s jersey sales are the highest of the Big 5. Someone in a Philly paper threw some numbers out regarding Iverson’s eventual trade that ticket sales would slouch 20% and merchandising would slouch 75%. Ben’s impact on the Pistons isn’t as extreme, but it’ll be something, especially when this team starts showing in the W-L column what losing an All-Star, DPOTY and getting nothing in return does. Isn’t that a factor in upping your offer a couple mil over 4 years?

It would be interesting if someone with some marketing know-how would look into this for me, as opposed to me thinking aloud about it on a blog. Hello? Free Press? Detroit News? Somebody?

If he leaves Detroit for the money, he was not a true baller and was not playing for the love of the game of basketball. He wants to be rewarded for a sub par season. This season he missed an excessive amount of free throws,shooting under 50% (the worst in the league even under SHAQ). He quit on his team this year and has mumbled and griped instead of developing his skill and playing team ball.He was the captain who couldn’t get his troops to fall into shape. What does that say about his leadership skills, again sub par! He has to realize that money isn’t everything. The 2 million dollar difference won’t make or break him and he will still be with a contender every year for the duration of his stay with Detroit. Ben grow up and if you don’t like it…I’m sure Garnett will! Peace….Nate

actually, sounds like the bulls gave him $60 million, compared to detroit’s $49 million. that’s a big difference. it’s too bad he left, the team is really going to hurt without him. can only hope they can find someone that can play back to back with sheed… garnett? please oh please oh please.

^^ What he said.

Yeah, I can understand leaving for that contract if it’s $60 million. A $10+ million difference for a guy whose basketball days are becoming fewer and fewer is pretty big. Can’t fault either side. Now that this Ben debacle is behind us, can we just go ahead and sign Chauncey to a longterm deal so I don’t have to deal with this again next summer?

Well, it looks like blowing the no. 2 pick in the richest draft in memory is finally coming back to haunt us. And remember when everyone was comparing Jason Maxiell to a young Ben Wallace? I guess this was the rainy day Joe was anticipating when he drafted the kid. Now, get to filling some shoes, J-Max.

hey ben… since your making so much more money with the bulls than you would of staying in detriot do you think you could give me the $75.00 dollars i wasted on buying my son your hat and jersey a month ago???? im sure you wont miss it…

The Pistons were suppose to take home the gold and be the 2006 NBA champions evidently having that winning record, or home court advantage is not the proof in the pudding of acquiring the Nesmith Trophy. Maybe Big Ben is discouraged
and decided a different view with alot more benjamins is what he needs right now!

what about the love of the game the love of your fans everyone who goes to the palace either wears a ben jersey or a fro we love him and despite what u say scott detroit is still the best team in the league and has been for the past 4 seasons i mean if ur getting 48 mill whats a couple more thats just being greedy and selfish. look at isaiah he stayed with his team regardless of the money dumars,magic,bird,domonique,ewing,stockton,or even jordan right up until the end ben should look at some of those players and think about his loyalty to his fans and his teammates instead of his loyalty to that extra bread.

by the way fadel i agree with u wholeheartedly ben is
a traitor

eh yo garnett where u at

For all you people saying its only 2.4 million dollars. Whens the last time you seen 2.4 million dollars? From what i hear people arent just jumping up and down to offer anyone of you 2.4 million dollars. There is now such thing as loyalty to a team, they are not fans. They are proffesionals. Imagine you work for a factory and then you get another job offer at another factory for 20% pay raise. Are you loyal to your factory? hell no! You take the money, this is a buisness. as much as you fans hate to see one of your guys who gave his whole heart to the city i do too. But dont go calling him a traitor or any other names because each and every one of you in that position would do exactly the same thing. You cant say he doesnt love the game just because he can make more money in another city, thats just jealously. Ben Wallace is an undrafted free agent out of Viginia Union. Anyone that makes it with that background with NO ONE trying to get you out of college has an amazing amount of heart and courage and love for the game. Now he has a chance to set himself up for the rest of his life and he should just stay in Detroit and be loyal to his fans? Come on now. As fans of the Pistons, you all should be happy for the chip y’all got and thank Ben for all the heart and service he gave to this team and city. It was just time to move on. Let It Go.

i hear what u sayin but,setting urself up fo lyfe? ur already rich! how much more setting up do u need. ur right if the factory offered me a 20% pay increase id take it because im poor if someone offered me 2.4 mill id take it cuz im poor. but ben has bread already beleive me hes more than able to set himself up for lyfe. i agree they are professionals but they should consider more than money. when have 25 thousand people payed their hard earned cash to come to your job to show u love.