Ben Wallace Back to Detroit?

Friday, August 7, 2009
Pistons re-sign Ben Wallace for 1 year
Wallace rejoins team; expected to be leader more than a player
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News



Auburn Hills -- On a day when the Pistons signed all three 2009 draft picks, they also reached an agreement with one of their former all-stars.

Ben Wallace, the four-time defensive player of the year, agreed to terms with the Pistons on a one-year deal worth $1.3 million. Wallace is expected to sign the deal next week.

Wallace's role in Detroit, however, is expected to be a far reduced one than when he left for Chicago in 2006. He will be the fifth big man and serve as a much-needed leader on a team whose average age is 25.

His playing time is expected to be drastically reduced.

Wallace, who spent his last season battling injuries with Cleveland, will be 35 in September. He averaged 7.9 points and 12.8 rebounds with the Pistons from 2000-06.

The Pistons also signed first-round pick Austin Daye to a multi-year deal starting at $1.4 million. Second-round picks DaJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko also signed 2-year deals worth $457,000 per year.

Pistons, Ben Wallace agree to one-year contract
by A. Sherrod Blakely
Friday August 07, 2009, 5:45 PM

TAMPA, Fla. -- Ben Wallace's best moments as an NBA player came in Detroit, which is where the veteran big man's career likely will end after agreeing to a one-year deal with the Pistons on Friday.

Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations, confirmed the team reached an agreement with the four-time All-star center.

Although terms were not released, Wallace is expected to sign a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum of $1.3 million.

Wallace left Detroit following the 2005-2006 season after signing a four-year, $60 million deal with the Chicago Bulls. In addition to Chicago, Wallace played for Cleveland, which traded him to Phoenix this summer.

The Suns had no plans of bringing Wallace to camp, so they allowed him to become a free agent when he agreed to a $10 million buyout in lieu of the $14 million he was owed in the final year of his contract.

It is unclear how much Wallace will play for the Pistons, but his role will be significantly diminished compared to what it was during his previous stint when he was one of the NBA's most dominant players.

Charlie Villanueva is expected to start at power forward, with Kwame Brown and Chris Wilcox battling for the starting job at center. Matchups likely will determine whether Wallace or Jason Maxiell will be the team's fourth big man.

Along with being a four-time All-star, Wallace was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year four times (2003, '04, '05 and '06) and was a member of the NBA's first-team all-Defensive team five times.

The Pistons, who have spent the summer revamping their roster with young, athletic players, will look to the 13-year veteran for his leadership.

A year ago, Detroit was among the league's oldest teams. By adding Villanueva, Wilcox and Ben Gordon -- all 26 or younger -- the Pistons are among the league's most youthful clubs.

However, the Pistons recognized the need for at least one veteran presence in the frontcourt. And with limited resources available after spending the bulk their salary cap space on free agents, Wallace, who will be 35 in September, was an ideal fit in terms of ability and cost.

Pistons sign three rookies
The Pistons also announced the signings of rookies Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko.

Franchise's All-Time Blocks Leader Returns For 2009-10 Season
Pistons Sign Free Agent Center Ben Wallace
Wednesday, August 12, 2009

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has signed free agent center Ben Wallace. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

“We are pleased to announce Ben Wallace’s return to the Pistons organization,” said Dumars. “Ben played an integral part in the success of the franchise from 2001-2006 and we feel there is a role for him on our team this season. His size and experience will provide depth in the front court while his work ethic and commitment to winning will help our club throughout the year.”

Wallace, 34, has NBA career averages of 6.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 30.9 minutes in 903 games (785 starts) with Washington, Orlando, Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland. The 13-year veteran played in Detroit from 2000 to 2006 where he was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year and an NBA All-Star four times. Wallace was an All-NBA Second Team selection three times (2003, 2004, 2006), All-NBA Third Team selection twice (2002 and 2005) and an NBA All-Defensive First Team selection five times (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006). The Pistons made the playoffs in five of the six years he was in Detroit, winning Eastern Conference Championships in 2004 and 2005 and the NBA Championship in 2004. Wallace is the franchise’s all-time leader in regular-season and playoff blocks (1,297 and 215, respectively) and ranks first among all-time playoff leaders in rebounds (1,237). He holds franchise single-game records for blocks in a game (10 – twice), defensive rebounds in a quarter (10) and blocks in a quarter (6). During the 2006-07 season, he became just the fifth player in NBA history to record 100 blocks and 100 steals for seven consecutive seasons joining Hakeem Olajuwon (12 times), Julius Erving (seven times), Sam Lacey (seven times) and David Robinson (seven times). Wallace ranks fifth among active players in career blocks with 1,948 and led the NBA in blocks during the 2001-02 season (3.48 bpg).

Originally acquired by the Pistons along with Chucky Atkins in exchange for Grant Hill as part of a sign-and-trade deal with Orlando (8/3/00), Wallace signed with Chicago as a free agent on July 13, 2006. He was traded by Chicago to Cleveland as part of a three-team trade on February 21, 2008.

For in-depth analysis by website editor Keith Langlois and special video interviews, visit www.pistons.com, the official source for news and features on the Detroit Pistons.

Ben Wallace signs one-year deal with Detroit Pistons
by A. Sherrod Blakely
Wednesday August 12, 2009, 11:46 AM

AUBURN HILLS - Ben Wallace's return to the Detroit Pistons became official this morning after the 13-year veteran signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract.

Wallace, who will be 35 years old in September, spoke to the media afterward.

"I'm excited to have an opportunity to come back here," Wallace said. "My career really took a turn for the best, when I came here. And having an opportunity to come back, it's exciting."

Here are some of the other highlights from Wallace's first comments after re-signing with Detroit.

ON POSSIBLY RETIRING INSTEAD OF PLAYING ONE MORE SEASON

"I was really contemplating whether that was going to be my last year or not. I continued to work out, stay in the gym and got that itch to play again."

ON BEN GORDON (former teammate of Wallace's in Chicago)

"Ben Gordon works on his game 24/7. He's one of those guys that you leave, go home and come back, you have to pry him out the gym. The work he puts into his game is unbelievable."

ON JOHN KUESTER (assistant coach in Cleveland last season when Wallace was there)

"John Kuester is one of those guys that's not a big screamer ... he'll talk to players and talk through whatever situation presents itself. He's very consistent, a guy you can always go up and talk to if you have a problem with him or whatever."

ON HIS ROLE

"I'm just going to go out and work, just like everybody else. When my number gets called, I'm going to be ready like I always have."

It's official: Big Ben is back with Pistons
By VINCE ELLIS • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • August 12, 2009

The hair is a lot shorter and displays streaks of gray, but the originator of the slogan “Fear the ‘Fro” is officially back with the team he once energized with spectacular defensive play.

Ben Wallace, 34, re-signed with the Pistons this morning after leaving the franchise in the summer of 2006 for a four-year, $60-million deal with the Chicago Bulls.

In the three seasons since, as a member of the Bulls and then the Cavaliers, Wallace never came close to the heights he achieved with Detroit, where he was a four-time defensive player of the year as well as the face of a franchise that built an entire marketing campaign around him.

“I’m excited to have an opportunity to come back here,” Wallace said. “I think my career really took a turn for the best when I came here and now I have an opportunity to come back.”

Wallace was originally acquired by the Pistons, along with Chucky Atkins, in exchange for Grant Hill as part of a sign-and-trade deal with Orlando in 2000. He then signed with Chicago as a free agent in ‘06, and was traded to Cleveland last February.

Last month he was again traded, this time to the Suns as part of the deal that landed center Shaquille O’Neal in Cleveland. At that point, Wallace seriously contemplated retiring after 13 seasons.

“I was really contemplating on whether that was going to be my last year or not,” Wallace said. “But I continued to work out and continued to play in the gym and I got the itch to play again.”

And after looking around the league, he felt the best place for him was the Pistons. He is back for the veteran’s minimum of $1.3 million, but it’s felt his experience could help a young team.

“Ben played an integral part in the success of the franchise from 2001-06 and we feel there is a role for him on our team this season,” Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said in a release.

“His size and experience will provide depth in the front court while his work ethic and commitment to winning will help our club throughout the year.”