Rasheed Wallace doesn't like talking to reporters very much, but when he does, it's usually gold. Michael Grange of the Globe and Mail got Wallace to open up this weekend about the economy and how it's going to affect his future.
Do you worry how it will affect the league?
Nah. I follow how that [stuff] affect me. [Forget] the league, excuse my French. I'm going to be out one day, but that's not going to stop the economy from still plummeting. I follow it for me, for my family.
But if the economy suffers the league will too?
That's going to happen. Guys who were able to get that big money contract the last couple of years, kudos for them. Myself and other free agents included, talking about signing for next season or the year after that, it's going to hit us hard. Definitely we're not going to get the money that... guys think they should get and deserve. But that's all part of it.
You've got a good head on about it though?
You have to. I'm not the type of guy who rolls out here and spends mad money on this and that. I spend it on my kids or my wife or something like that but just save that cheese, that's my whole thing.
If you put a suitcase in a locker room with $25-million [compared with the $56-million or so salary cap] would players take it or would they leave it and go get a job? What would they do?
They would probably rely on that suitcase. I guess it depends on the up-bringing. Myself, personally, I have no problem going out there and getting a 9-to-5. If I have to do that to support my family, that's what I'm going to do: get my black ass up, and get that 9-to-5.
Sounds like you've been careful with your money?
Have to. That's too much damn money to blow on nothing. You always got to make investments, and not always necessarily on cars, like most people think.
How many more years you going to play?
I don't know. I guess until the wheels fall off the bus. Or until I'm not wanted on no teams, I guess. I'm still year-by-year.
Sounds like you're prepared to sign for less than you're making [Wallace in in the last year of a deal paying him $13.1-million this season]?
You have to play that by ear man. I know for sure I can't walk into a GM's office and say I want $100-million. They'd look at me and laugh. There was a day though, before the recession…
(Hat-tip of sorts to Chris McCosky, who excerpted some answers but made me go digging to find out which "Toronto reporter" asked the questions. Also, Natalie from Need4Sheed, a more attentive blogger than I, had this Saturday.)