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**MangoKid** · Fri Jan 14, 2011, 10:33 AM

Wallace has gone on the record saying that he wouldn't report to the Raptors. And that was 2 seasons ago..when we were winning. Or had winning seasons.

**black angus** · Fri Jan 14, 2011, 01:37 PM

I would trade the TPE and any of our current wing players for Wallace... in fact I would just like Charlotte pick any two of: Demar, Kleiza, Weems, Barbosa, Wright and whatever part of the TPE makes the deal work

**Joey** · Fri Jan 14, 2011, 02:23 PM

MangoKid wrote: View Post

Wallace has gone on the record saying that he wouldn't report to the Raptors. And that was 2 seasons ago..when we were winning. Or had winning seasons.

Do you have a source for this 'on the record' quote? I've never heard this. Interesting.

UPDATE: http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/s...tml?id=1028512
Huh... well then. Though no quote there, and in the forum I found it no one could find the actual quote.

**MangoKid** · Fri Jan 14, 2011, 02:47 PM

If you couldn't find an actual quote, here's another little nugget:

The Cavs also have expressed interest in using their exception on Philadelphia 76ers forward Andre Iguodala(notes). Iguodala has three years and $44 million left on his contract after this season.

One potential problem for the Cavs: Sources familiar with the thinking of Wallace and Iguodala said the players do not want to join a team in the throes of a massive rebuilding project.

LINK

**mcHAPPY** · Fri Jan 14, 2011, 03:13 PM

jeff_hostetler wrote: View Post

Jesus H. Christmas. Name me one player the Raps could use more than Gerald Wallace right now. Apparently the Bobcats are looking to move him.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slu...ebobcats011411

Also apparently, the Cavs, according to the above link, are looking to acquire him for nothing but the TPE...and they want a protected first rounder from the Bobs to boot! The Bobcats have been winning without Wallace (ankle injury), making it seem less likely that they'd become terrible without him.

I don't see what the Cavs have, TPE included, that the Raps don't have. Here's a far better trade for Wallace that would see him, at long last, in Raptor red:

Gerald Wallace for the TPE
Sonny Weems & Julian Wright for a protected 1st rounder

Not good enough for Wallace? Think the Cavs can still make a better package for him? If the Bobcats want salary relief:

Wallace for the TPE
Diop and an unprotected first rounder for Evans and Wright.

This gives the Raps three first rounders - two in the lottery - a premier defensive and rebounding wing, a veteran teacher and captain for the squad, and another big and cap space for next year (I know Diop is out for this year).

This clears 17 million from Charlotte's books and allows them, along with their other expirings, to be big players in this years FA (they'll be roughly 20m under the cap).

Wallace on the Raps would solve so so many issues, and I can't fathom how he wouldn't be on everyone for their defensive lapses. He'd be probably one of the best guys to be able to turn around the mindset of the locker room and instil a defense-first approach to the young'unz (read: not young gunz...but the young players on the squad, ie, all the squad.)

Wallace would be great as he only has 2 years on his contract and he would be playing for his last contract as well. I think Wallace on TOR makes them better than CHA right now so he would be going to a much better situation. No need to comment on anything CLE related as that is what happens when your dance leader leaves.

Wallace having only 2 years on his contract means if another wing is drafted they won't get thrown in to the fire and if they are ready to contribute then Wallace would certainly have trade value as an expiring contract who is still productive.

I would send Weems/Wright/Dorsey/Evans or any combination and the TPE for Wallace. Under no circumstances would I take back Diop even if it is a deal breaker. He is the worst contract in the league. I would look for the option to swap draft picks though as I think this trade would give TOR a legit shot at 7 in the East. Weems and TPE for Wallace and flip of 1st rounders would work for me.

It would be interesting if he would come to Toronto now. The reality is if he doesn't, he doesn't get paid. I would love for a team, especially Toronto, to force that issue once and for all.

CHA can only switch 1st round draft picks, they cannot trade their 1st round draft pick in 2011 or 2013 as 2012 is going to CHI.

**MangoKid** · Fri Jan 14, 2011, 03:17 PM

Why are we trying to acquire a player that doesn't want to report here? I never understood that about Toronto fans. If he's forced to play here, don't you think he would be some sort of locker room distraction? It would be best to look elsewhere.

**mcHAPPY** · Fri Jan 14, 2011, 03:24 PM

MangoKid wrote: View Post

Why are we trying to acquire a player that doesn't want to report here? I never understood that about Toronto fans. If he's forced to play here, don't you think he would be some sort of locker room distraction? It would be best to look elsewhere.

This is all speculation. He may not have the same view now. Maybe he gets educated. Maybe he realizes his choices are TOR and CLE and the Raptors are a much better situation. Maybe he realizes he only has 1 more season after this year and he can opt out. If he wants to get paid one last time before becoming an UFA he works his ass off next year on a high offense team needing a scoring and rebounding wing. On Toronto within the confines of the team offense he could put up career numbers if healthy. Toronto is a high scoring team and Bargnani is a horrible rebounder.

This is all speculation. No one knows what Wallace would do nor if he still feels the same way. Maybe BC wants no part of him anyways.

If he was open to coming here I'd be all for it. It would be in his and TOR's best interest but of course he might not see it that way.

**MangoKid** · Fri Jan 14, 2011, 03:32 PM

Matt52 wrote: View Post

This is all speculation. He may not have the same view now. Maybe he gets educated. Maybe he realizes his choices are TOR and CLE and the Raptors are a much better situation. Maybe he realizes he only has 1 more season after this year and he can opt out. If he wants to get paid one last time before becoming an UFA he works his ass off next year on a high offense team needing a scoring and rebounding wing. On Toronto within the confines of the team offense he could put up career numbers if healthy. Toronto is a high scoring team and Bargnani is a horrible rebounder.

This is all speculation. No one knows what Wallace would do nor if he still feels the same way. Maybe BC wants no part of him anyways.

If he was open to coming here I'd be all for it. It would be in his and TOR's best interest but of course he might not see it that way.

Wallace has been here enough times over the years to have formulated an idea of Toronto. Most players in the league love this city. Maybe he's too country for it. Maybe it's too cold for him. Who knows? I would say that if he was presented with a choice between Toronto and Cleveland that he'd choose Cleveland simply because it's in the USA.
If he was warm to the idea of coming to Toronto, I'd love to have him here because he exemplifies hard work and putting yourself out on the line every game. It goes with the creedence of this year's team - hustle and heart.

**jeff_hostetler** · Tue Jan 18, 2011, 01:57 PM

In my opinion, the Raptors with Gerald Wallace = guaranteed playoff spot. What you bring with Wallace is leadership, defence, determination, defence, shot blocking, rebounding, defence...all at the weakest spot on the roster. What the Raptors do with Wallace is turn their weakest position into one of their strongest, all the while addressing all of the needs of the team with one fell swoop. His contract is nice, and expires next year = easily one of next season's most significant trade assets, given how good a player he is, and how much he'd contribute to a contender if it's necessary to move him.

Why Wallace wouldn't want to come to TO at this point? Well, the Raps with him are better, significantly better, than the Bobcats with him. Further, with Wallace, the "massive rebuilding" is now downgraded to, "looking to fill holes." So I can't see that as being a drawback.

So then it all comes down to good ol' fashioned American xenophobia. Which might very well be the case. But, as Matt52 says, if he doesn't want to come here, he doesn't get paid. Fine by me. I'd love for that to happen just so it sets precedent. I'd also love it for the attention and escalation it would bring to the ridiculousness of the anti-TO/anti-anywhere-but-the-U.S. sentiment that seems to be rippling through the media undercurrent.

**MangoKid** · Tue Jan 18, 2011, 02:08 PM

While I'd like to have Wallace here with the TPE, in the end, the Bobcats wouldn't trade Wallace to a team that he didn't want to play for... Unless it was a real sweetheart of a deal for them.

**jeff_hostetler** · Tue Jan 18, 2011, 02:22 PM

The thing of it is though, is that next season Wallace is gonna be playing for his last big contract. If he checks into TO he'd be compelled for his own sake to play as hard as he can. If he wants out afterwards he's free to leave.

But in that year and a half of playing time with the Raps, I can't help but think of all the benefits he would bring in terms of teaching how to play defence and block shots to young guys like DD, Ed Davis, Julian Wright, and maybe even Bargnani. I'd for sure offer a "real sweetheart of a deal" for Wallace. Which is why I offered the idea of taking Diop's contract. It's not crazy and it expires next year. Kinda like Evans. He's got a comparable contract, and he's played all of 30 games for the Raps since coming over. Diop doesn't need to see the floor. That's not why he would be brought over.

**MangoKid** · Tue Jan 18, 2011, 02:41 PM

My point being is that if Wallace informs the Bobcats that he doesn't want to play in Toronto, the Bobcats probably wouldn't deal him to Toronto. Why? Because it's bad business. It's a way to gain a bad reputation.

**jeff_hostetler** · Tue Jan 18, 2011, 02:49 PM

But it's a business, as everyone in the NBA apparently loves to preach, and if Toronto offers a significantly better deal to Charlotte than other teams, it would be foolish practice to turn it down simply because Wallace doesn't like it.

That being said, I have no idea what kind of GM Jordan is, and his waffle on the Calderon trade makes him unpredictable, so who knows what kind of deal will or won't send Wallace away. To be perfectly honest, Wallace for nothing but the TPE is crazy. That it's even been discussed is a signal that whoever is in charge in Charlotte doesn't quite get it. So who knows what will happen.

**MangoKid** · Tue Jan 18, 2011, 02:52 PM

jeff_hostetler wrote: View Post

But it's a business, as everyone in the NBA apparently loves to preach, and if Toronto offers a significantly better deal to Charlotte than other teams, it would be foolish practice to turn it down simply because Wallace doesn't like it.

That being said, I have no idea what kind of GM Jordan is, and his waffle on the Calderon trade makes him unpredictable, so who knows what kind of deal will or won't send Wallace away. To be perfectly honest, Wallace for nothing but the TPE is crazy. That it's even been discussed is a signal that whoever is in charge in Charlotte doesn't quite get it. So who knows what will happen.

Definitely if the Raptors offer Charlotte a better deal, the Cats should take it, but we've also been here before where Charlotte screwed us, like you said. In the end, I don't think the TPE is used, or any expirings. I don't think Colangelo will make a deal. I'd be surprised if he does. I think he's somewhat scared to take on big salary especially with economic uncertainty looming.

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