MLive.com's Full-Court Press pointed me toward Terry Foster's blog on the Detroit News. Foster claims to have some insight on some other, non-financial reasons as to why Ben Wallace was so quick to accept Chicago's offer:
Ben Wallace was upset that the Pistons banned his brother David Wallace from the Palace following his involvement in the brawl against the Indiana Pacers.
Ben asked the Pistons to allow David to attend games. They refused and that decision drove another divide between the Pistons and Wallace. He also caught wind that the Pistons were whispering his short comings to certain media members because the team did not believe Big Ben deserved a max deal. I love the Pistons but sometimes their actions are so childish that I understand why some guys leave. Wallace's play should speak for itself. We know what he can and cannot do. Why fuel the flames?
I do believe the Pistons wanted to keep Wallace, but only under their terms. Wallace wanted more control and he wanted to feel more comfortable here. Wallace was also growing more distant from teammates.
Although they respected him even some of his teammates questioned why he won defensive player of the year for a fourth season. Politics were involved because San Antonio's Bruce Bowen should have won it last season.
So here are a few more explanations why Wallace left.
I'm just going to throw this out there: if there was substantial evidence that what Foster says is true (ie, multiple sources verifying this), I'm guessing he would have turned it into an actual column instead of a blog post. (Nothing against blogs, obviously, but I just don't think the Detroit News really gets them. But that's beside the point.)
Foster caps off his post with this cliffhanger:
The chatter around Chicago and Indianapolis is the Pistons are trying to work out a sign and trade to bring in Al Harrington. Is a deal in the works with Atlanta?
I have no idea. But there is a buzz.
The chatter amongst whom? Talk radio hosts? Beat reporters? Locker room attendants? Limousine chauffeurs? Take all uncredited rumors with a grain of salt. I have no clue what it would take to get Harrington, but I have a feeling Dale Davis plus one of Detroit's first-round picks from next year isn't enough. I'm not saying this deal won't happen, but if it does it'll likely require a noticable roster shakeup.