Bulls sign Ben Wallace

[bigted]

I know this happened a few days ago but I still think it's worth discussing, this is definately something that's gonna make the Central Division much more competitive in my view:

Ben Wallace leaving Pistons to sign with BullsBy Chad Ford

ESPN Insider

For the last six years, Ben Wallace has been the face of the Detroit Pistons. No more.

Marc Stein's take

Add up the money and that opportunity, and even Ben Wallace couldn't resist walking away from what was regarded as the NBA's best five-man, all-for-one ensemble, as well as a city that treasured him.

That city is now in mourning: Independence Day 2006 will be recorded in local history as the day Detroiters woke up to Wallace's free-agent defection and Stevie Yzerman's retirement.

A league source said Monday night that Wallace has told the Pistons he has accepted an offer from the Chicago Bulls.

While the offer was first thought to be a four-year, $52 million deal, a source close to the negotiations told ESPN.com that the deal is actually for four years and $60 million, with a starting salary of nearly $14 million a year.

A deal can't become official until July 12, when the salary cap is set for the 2006-07 season and exact contract values can be computed.

"I appreciate everything Detroit did for me and my family," Wallace told the Detroit News on Monday night. "They gave me an opportunity to make a name for myself and we had an opportunity to win a championship together."

Wallace helped Detroit advance to four straight conference finals -- the first team to do so since the Bulls of the early 1990s.

The move will come as a shock to Pistons fans who thought the chances Wallace would bolt from Detroit were slim to none.

The Pistons came out of the gate Saturday offering Wallace a whopping four-year, $48 million deal, but they told the four-time defensive player of the year that it was their final offer.

The signing clearly upgrades the Bulls' front court, albeit at an exorbitant price. The Bulls will have to use roughly $14 million of their projected $16.7 million in cap space to secure Wallace.

However, Wallace adds the veteran toughness and defensive presence the Bulls felt they lacked up front.

Look for the Bulls to now explore trade scenarios involving Tyson Chandler.

One potential opportunity, according to sources, is New Orleans, which is mulling a Chandler-for-P. J. Brown swap. Brown is in the last year of his contract, which would give the Bulls even more cap relief next season.

The Bulls also have explored Chandler trade scenarios with the Hawks (via an Al Harrington sign-and-trade) and the Warriors.

The move puts the Pistons in a difficult position.

They lose Wallace for nothing and don't have anything more than the $5.1 million mid-level exception to offer to potential replacements.

There are a few starting center-caliber free agents out there, such as Joel Przybilla and Nazr Mohammed, but none who can give the Pistons what Wallace did.

Instead, the Pistons may opt to beef up their backcourt and to move to a more up-tempo style with Rasheed Wallace at five and Antonio McDyess at the four.

[Vipa]

My take...60 Million is a lot for Ben Wallace. He's not exactly a game changing center, and he really has no offensive game...He is a solid defender, and rebounder. But let's look at the Bulls. They have a lot of Jump shooters, in Hinrich, Gordon, Deng.

ben Wallace stated that one of the reasons he left Detroit is because Flip Saunders offense focused primarily on taking jumpers, and the other players on the court started tkaking longer jumpers. Missed Jumpers on one end, equals easier scoring on the other end, since you don't have much time to set up your defense..

[bart5]

GO BIG BEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Too bad the pistons are breaking up their championship team. Without the best defensive center in the L, the won't be the same. Billups and Rip shoulda taken a pay cut, in order to keep Big Ben.

Edited July 8, 2006 by bart5

[Whiplash]

i got one thing to say cuz im from chi-town

GO BULLS

[Vipa]

Naw, The Pistons could have offered more money, but making Rip and Chauncy take pay cuts? That wouldn't seem right to me. They do more IMO, and deserve the money. Ben wanted to leave. He doesn't like how Flip Saunders runs the offense. The way it's run now, opens them up a little more defensively, and they are allowing more opponent points...Ben's strong point is his defense, and he's not known to have a very strong offensive game...

I don't know how Skyles does different, since I haven't seen many Chi-Town games, but like I said, the Bulls got mad players who like to shoot long range, rather than attack the basket, and not risk a long rebound for a quick Fast break.

[TopDawg14]

i got one thing to say cuz im from chi-town

GO BULLS

That's right!! The CHI is about to be on top of the sports world:

2006 Chicago White Sox(Defending World Champions)

2006 Chicago Bears(Defending NFC North Champions)

2006-07 Chicago Bulls(Future NBA Champions)

[Vipa]

Whoa Whoa Whao...

The bears? My Cowboys got something to say about that one.

[scyhigh99]

I keep trying to tell myself that this was a big-time coup for the Bulls, but my gut says that Ben's getting older, he's on the decline, and he won't have nearly as much of an impact as some people are saying. I'm almost more excited for the Bulls that they may sign Chris Wilcox - but that probably just proves I'm insane. :sick: Either way, Chicago is only going to get better this season. You gotta love the way Paxson has assembled that team.

Edited July 10, 2006 by scyhigh99

[bigted]

Ben Wallace is only 32, I think he should have a few great years left in him, if he could be the defensive presence that Rodman was in his mid-late 30s on the Bulls a decade ago then I think they'll be getting their money's worth, what he does on defense is as big as a 20 point center could do for a team, he stops big centers from taking over, a team could have somebody who could score 81 points but if they don't have defenders then they won't win the championship, the defending champion Heat has a center in Shaq who'll be 35 years old and his backup Mourning is gonna be 38 if he doesn't retire and most players on that team are around that age, so if you wanna talk about decline it should start with them... Ialso like that the trade the Bulls made with the Hornets in trading Tyson Chandler for PJ Brown, Tyson Chandler never really developed so they get somebody with more experience, now I might be a lil' more worried about PJ Brown being 37 years old but he's been consistant enough to have a couple more good years in him and his experience will help the younger players,having Ben Wallace and PJ Brown in the frontcourt is a major upgrade, Wilcox would add more depth there as well if he's signed, the backcourt's already cemented for years to come with Gordon and Hinrich, with Deng and Duhon, their

draft pick Tyrus Thomas is gonna be really good too, Bulls got a lot of depth now and starting to get a better mix of youth and experience which is what most champion teams have...

Edited July 11, 2006 by bigted