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Rasheed Wallace a Celtic
By Mark Murphy | Sunday, July 5, 2009
ORLANDO -- The Celtics [team stats] have reached agreement with free agent forward/center Rasheed Wallace tonight on a contract that starts at the midlevel exemption of $5.8 million.
The contract is believed to be for two years.
The addition of Wallace gives the Celtics the services of one of the best shooting big men in the league. It also strengthens an already solid defense and provides offensive and defensive firepower off the bench.
The Celtics worked for this signing, putting on a real fullcourt press to obtain Wallace’s services. A Celtic contingent of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce [stats], team president Danny Ainge, coach Doc Rivers and owner Wyc Grousbeck went to Detroit to woo the 35-year-old 7-footer.
“Rasheed took the first meeting very well and was impressed once it became clear we were talking about the same financial situation,” said Wallace’s agent, Bill Strickland. “He obviously likes the team and the meeting was very effective.”
The agreement comes at a time when the former Piston had been expected to be courted by the Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks. Strickland said that earlier in the day he was in the process of setting up meetings with those teams. Wallace called Strickland, however, and told him to call off those meetings once he made up his mind he wanted to be a Celtic.
Wallace has averaged 15 points and 6.9 rebounds over his 14-year career, including averages of 12 points and 7.4 rebounds a year ago.
From Oakland Press Blogs NBA Nuggets:
Sunday, July 5, 2009
SHEED TO BOSTON
As for Rasheed Wallace, he's staying in the conference. He agreed to a two-year deal with the Celtics tonight to back up Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins. I think that's an ideal situation for him. He'll play about 20 minutes a game, which is all his legs will allow these days, and he can beat up on second-stringers as well as defend against Cleveland's Shaquille O'Neal and Orlando's Dwight Howard, the main big men on Boston's main Eastern Conference rivals.
