Bobcats keep Wallace

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Okafor, Wallace, and Richardson will be a solid trio. Unless Richardson in the lineup is just taking points from wallace...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2933311

Report: Bobcats keep top scorer Wallace with $57M deal

ESPN.com news services






Gerald Wallace, the Bobcats' top scorer from last season, is reportedly returning to join Jason Richardson in the new-look Charlotte attack.

Gerald Wallace

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Forward
Charlotte Bobcats
Profile

2007 Season Stats GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 72 18.1 7.2 2.6 .502 .691
The Charlotte Observer, citing an anonymous source, is reporting that Wallace and the Bobcats have agreed to a six-year, $57 million contract. The sixth year of the deal will be Wallace's option and he can earn as much as $2 million each season in bonuses.
The Bobcats had stiff competition to keep Wallace. Seven other teams contacted the free agent forward when the NBA free agency period began. Dallas, Orlando, Milwaukee, Detroit, Miami, Portland and Golden State all made inquiries.
Wallace averaged 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds a game last season, when he made just over $5.5 million. He opted out of the final year of his contract, which would have paid him about $6 million, to become an unrestricted free agent. Wallace was expected to command more than $10 million a season in a deal that could run as long as six years.
The Bobcats took on the first big contract in their three-year history when they acquired swingman Richardson from Golden State in a draft-night trade. Richardson, who the Bobcats hope will be the go-to scorer they've been missing, is due about $51 million over the next four seasons.
The Bobcats believe a nucleus of Richardson, Wallace, power forward Emeka Okafor and point guard Raymond Felton will get them to the playoffs next season.
Wallace, who left Alabama after one season, spent his first three years in the NBA at the end of Sacramento's bench.
But the Bobcats selected the 6-foot-7 slasher in the 2004 expansion draft, and he quickly blossomed.

 

[mjb21aztd]

good for the bobcats to keep wallace hes a great young player who is going to help them in the future.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The Bobcats are my new sleeper out East - good thing - they should be a team that makes sure the Hawks don't get to sniff the playoffs. Very nice young core for that team - high fliers, slashers, shooters and a big man in the middle. If they stay healthy, I look for them to make a Raptors-like leap in the standings.

 

[scoutmasterdave]

That's a very reasonable contract, too - right around $10M/year for a player that very well could be an all-star soon. I'd certainly rather have him than Diaw for the same money...

Good for the Bobcats - beat the Hawks!!!

 

[DevonCardsFan]

So where does this leave Morrison?? With Richardson and Wallace at 2 and 3, Felton at PG, Okeafer at 4 and 5, May at 4 and Prezac at 5(Sp??) This puts Morrison on the bench.

 

[Cheesebeef]

So where does this leave Morrison?? With Richardson and Wallace at 2 and 3, Felton at PG, Okeafer at 4 and 5, May at 4 and Prezac at 5(Sp??) This puts Morrison on the bench.

it's probably where he should be - a career sixth man, kind of like EJ. He's just too poor of a defender to be out there unless he's lights out shooting.

 

[azirish]

That is a nice team. Jason Richardson should be happy that's he's not going to playing with a bunch of stiffs.

BTW, depending on how the deal is structured, the Bobcats could end up with about $10 million in cap space. It is not out of the question that they might be willing to trade for KT for one year.

Such a deal makes sense only if PJ Brown is available. But the fact that the Suns were talking to Mihm suggests the Bobcast are still a possibliltiy.

 

[BillsCarnage]

That is a nice team. Jason Richardson should be happy that's he's not going to playing with a bunch of stiffs.

BTW, depending on how the deal is structured, the Bobcats could end up with about $10 million in cap space. It is not out of the question that they might be willing to trade for KT for one year.

Such a deal makes sense only if PJ Brown is available. But the fact that the Suns were talking to Mihm suggests the Bobcast are still a possibliltiy.

Funny how Charlotte is always mentioned in the KT rumors.

If the rumors of Sarver wanting to trim $10mil off the books then don't expect anyone in return. This is why i think Boris is a better option to trade, but who the heck wants his contract?? Banks, KT or Diaw are the ones likely to be traded if a Marion deal can't be done.

I still think Sarver is willing to go $3-5mill over the tax, so that could mean as little as moving Banks.

But then, i'm probably one of the few that thought the Suns were foolish to sell the pick instead of drafting Splitter. He would have cost them nothing and they could have brought him over next summer.

Cash now brings them nothing in the future.

 

[azirish]

Why is it so hard to understand that both sides have to agree to a trade.

The rationale from the Bobcats standpoing is that KT would be nice for a season. He could play a big role in getting them into the playffs, but then comes off the books. Boris doesn't for five years.

All of it depends on whether the Suns think they can sign PJ Brown. If they can't, then the deal has no chance of working.

 

[mr_sunshine]

So where does this leave Morrison?? With Richardson and Wallace at 2 and 3, Felton at PG, Okeafer at 4 and 5, May at 4 and Prezac at 5(Sp??) This puts Morrison on the bench.

D-league. He's terribly overrated.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

I think it was more of a bust than an overrating. He was damn solid in college.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Morrison would do fine on the right team. Unfortunately the Bobcats aren't it.

 

[Cheesebeef]

i forgot they re-signed Matt Caroll also. That's a nice bunch of young talent they have there and even with Wallace and Caroll signed, they're still 5ish mill under the cap this year and stand to be as much as 13-15 mill under the cap next year, with all their key guys under contract. MJ might just know what he's doing after all after that collasal failure his first time out as GM.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Felton averages like 7+ apg too, should be an interesting team

 

[Cheesebeef]

Felton averages like 7+ apg too, should be an interesting team

if healthy, they should be fun to watch with two high fliers, three point shooters and a shot blocker in the middle. I'm just happy to see an East team that didn't make the playoffs get better. Along with Boston adding Ray and the Bobcats moves, even if there's the inevitable collapse by a couple teams in the east, it appears it will be very difficult for the Hawks to make a major move to get out the lotto.

 

[elindholm]

i forgot they re-signed Matt Caroll also. That's a nice bunch of young talent they have there and even with Wallace and Caroll signed, they're still 5ish mill under the cap this year and stand to be as much as 13-15 mill under the cap next year, with all their key guys under contract.

Don't they have to extend Okafor?

 

[Cheesebeef]

Don't they have to extend Okafor?

his extension won't hit the books until after next off-season according to Hoopshype.

 

[elindholm]

his extension won't hit the books until after next off-season according to Hoopshype.

Right, but there goes their cap room for 2008.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Right, but there goes their cap room for 2008.

no, his extension won't hit the books until 2009 I thought - the numbers project the 7.5million for a qualifying offer for 2008 that they could go for... oh, I see. I could be wrong. If they don't offer him an extension this year, he becomes a restricted FA next year, right? I guess then most of their cap room goes to signing him at that point. still, a solid core.

 

[elindholm]

If they don't offer him an extension this year, he becomes a restricted FA next year, right?

Right, and his cap hold will be some weird complicated amount, maybe 150% of his last year (i.e. 07-08) salary or something like that. It's in Coon's FAQ. But the point is, they aren't going to have a whole lot of space.