[Strikeout King]

Rasheed Wallace is joining the Boston Celtics, giving the Celtics one of the most important free agents on the marketplace as they attempt to return to the championship.

Bill Strickland, Wallace's agent, told the Boston Herald and the Boston Globe on Sunday night that the 34-year-old forward told him to call off meetings the agent was in the process of scheduling with the Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks.



The Boston Globe reported Wallace will sign for two years at the mid-level exception.

Wallace won a championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004 after arriving in a mid-season trade, although his career has been noted just as much for his volatile interactions with officials and contentious relationships with coaches. However, the strong presence of veterans such as Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in the Celtics' locker room should keep Wallace in line and bring the focus to his positive attributes: the 6-foot-11 Wallace is a scoring threat from the low block to the 3-point arc and a long-armed, savvy defender.

"As much as Rasheed's a headache, teammakes like him and he's a winner," an NBA executive said.

After trade rumors involving Allen and Rajon Rondo surfaced last month it appeared the Celtics might be trying to shift on the fly, at the risk of breaking up the core that won the 2008 NBA championship. Now they have landed a piece that makes them a prime contender to win again next season, with an emphasis on the short term. Wallace will be 35 in September and made joining a championship-caliber team a priority this offseason.

But Boston was always the leading contender, a positioned strengthened by a dinner meeting with Wallace involving Garnett, Pierce, Allen, coach Doc Rivers and owner Wyc Grousbeck last week.

Wallace restores frontcourt depth to the Celtics, who did not extend a qualifying offer to Leon Powe and could lose restricted free agent Glen Davis if another team signs him to a contract the Celtics decide not to match.

Both Boston papers are also reporting that the Celtics may be interested in signing Grant Hill, who averaged 12 points and 4.9 rebounds for the Phoenix Suns last season.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4307834

[Spud6]

This is a really good pick up for the Celtics and a nice fit for Rasheed in my opinion.

[Stardust]

We'll see how this works out. Sheed has lost a step, but this is a situation that could motivate the big man. Let's see how the Boston fans tolerate his technical fouls.....

[cougarpride08]

Isn't this on another post?

[Stardust]

Isn't this on another post?

It is. We create new threads each time new information happens instead of adding to a previous string...Remember the UK coaching situation....:please:

[Playboy5]

This will work out! MARK IT DOWN! A perfect fit for Rasheed IMO. He will bust his tail every night in Boston!

[Jimmy Dugan]

Him and KG are supposed to be good friends so it will probably work out.

[NEWARKCATHOLICFAN]

This will help the Celtics out a lot.

[theVILLE]

i like sheed and all but, i dont see a championship being won again no time soon...I think he will sit on the bench alot...unless he takes perkins place...besides that there is no room for him anywhere...

[-STAT-]

WOOO! Should be a great pickup for the Celtics. The way I look at it is they already have the big 3, they were big time superstars in the early part of this decade, which they still are big stars. But now all they are striving for is another championship. Rasheed is in that same position now. Allen, Pierce, KG and Sheed have been in the league 10+ years so their careers are almost over and they want to go out on top. GO CELTICS!

[Hilbily]

I do not think Sheed has enough hustle left to support this team. He used to be one of my faves but his attitude of late has troubled me. I noticed alot of his shot's he just tosses it up sometimes. And then shot selection overall is a big issue with him.

[K_Mac]

i like sheed and all but, i dont see a championship being won again no time soon...I think he will sit on the bench alot...unless he takes perkins place...besides that there is no room for him anywhere...

Your crazy. Anytime you have players such as KG, Allen, and Pierce on the same team there is always a high chance of a championship. I look for a Celtics/Lakers final again next season. However, I hate wallace, BUT at the same time i feel he is going to be help to the Celtics. So I will tolerate him for now only because he is with my favorite team.

I wold love to see them sign Grant hill as well. He is an improvment to any team.

[Spud6]

This will work out! MARK IT DOWN! A perfect fit for Rasheed IMO. He will bust his tail every night in Boston!

I was thinking the same thing.