Rasheed Wallace -> Atlanta - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

The_Dude · 02-09-2004, 10:23 PM

Quote:

ESPN.com news services
The Portland Trail Blazers traded volatile forward Rasheed Wallace and reserve Wesley Person to the Atlanta Hawks late Monday night for Shareef Abdur-Rahim and two other players.

"Since [general manager] John Nash and I came here last summer, we pursued a plan that would take character into account with talent, create cap flexibility while continuing to put a competitive team on the court," Portland president Steve Patterson said.

"The community has been very clear in their message and we are listening. As we pledged to our fans and customers back in August, we want to build a competitive team on the court and one in which the fans can also be proud of off the court. Today's trade is a reflection of that commitment."

In Wallace, Atlanta gets an often-troubled player who's averaging 17 points a game. He drew the ire of NBA commissioner David Stern earlier this season when he told The Oregonian newspaper that the league's white establishment is exploiting young black athletes to enrich itself.

Wallace later issued an apology.

Last season, he was suspended by the league for seven games for threatening an official on the loading dock at the Rose Garden Arena after a game. It was the longest suspension ever handed down that did not involve physical contact or substance abuse.

In the 2000-01 season, he set the NBA record with 41 technical fouls.

The announcement of the trade came about 90 minutes after the Hawks beat the Dallas Mavericks 102-96. Abdur-Rahim had 27 points and 10 rebounds in the victory, and is averaging about 20 points this season.

He goes to the Trail Blazers with center Theo Ratliff and little-used point guard Dan Dickau, a first-round pick of the Sacramento Kings in 2002, who was traded to the Hawks on draft day.

The contracts for Wallace and Person end after this season, clearing up salary cap room for the Hawks. They are right at the luxury tax threshold.

Person, a guard, averages about six points a game.

Information from The Associated Press and SportsTicker was used in this report.

any team with the trouble child is doomed. portland is gettin the good enough of the deal and dumpin wallace by itself is a big plus.

Mojo_PeiPei · 02-09-2004, 10:44 PM

He's an awesome player. He just didn't like playing at Portland... Its like working at a shitty job, you go half assed because you don't like it. In the right enviroment he'll thrive.

Jadey · 02-09-2004, 10:48 PM

Alright, I'm an Atlanta Hawks fan (yup, I'm the one), and even though I hate Rasheed---I love this trade. Okay, maybe I love this trade. We've basically traded a backup point guard and 2 very large contracts for half of a season of a pain in the ass. Depending on what happens next year in free agency with the money freed up from the Terrell Brandon Contract and not having Abdur-Rahim and Ratliff's contracts around. If Atlanta let Persona and Wallace walk this could be huge!

I did like Shareef and Theo, but they were making way too much for what they were contributing to a losing team. This team needs to hit rock bottom (it seems like we've been there since 'Nique retired) and rebuild from scratch.

jasonresno · 02-10-2004, 05:20 AM

Looks like Atlanta is cleaning up room to rebuild...but dude...I loved Shareef and Theo in Atlanta...and I loathe Rasheed...

JoeyB · 02-10-2004, 08:12 AM

Atlanta is going to have monster cap room after this season. Wallace will be off the books along with Terrell Brandon's injury #'s.....

I don't know if the Hawks will ever challenge again, but at least they'll have the opportunity to reload next year.

dragon2fire · 02-10-2004, 08:59 AM

the big question is will any one be willing to play for them

quest1mark · 02-10-2004, 09:09 AM

dammit...i wouldve liked to see shareef go to orlando for juwan howard and drew gooden. but it didnt work out that way. it was a good trade for both sides.

JoeyB · 02-10-2004, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dragon2fire
the big question is will any one be willing to play for them

Remember when the Bulls cleared all of that cap room and then they couldn't sign anyone?

The Rasheed trade opens the door for Atlanta to be a big shopper, but we'll see if anyone buys.

Jadey · 02-10-2004, 11:05 AM

That's the question I have too. Has Atlanta become that type of organization that noone wants to play for? I don't think a lot of "casual" basketball fans even realize Atlanta still has a team. I wonder if the people of Atlanta even realize they still have a team.

I guess we'll see over the summer when they have all of this money to spend. If they can convince a few players to come to Atlanta and become competitive atleast (a possible playoff spot in the weak East), maybe the fans will return also.

goateebird · 02-10-2004, 08:30 PM

Portland has a very crowded frontcourt now, with Shareef, Zach Randolph, and Ratliff. I'm assuming they'll go with Shareef at SF, Randolph at PF, and Ratliff at C. If so, I don't think Shareef will work very well at that position. Rasheed was a much better perimeter shooter than him. I think this was a great move for the Hawks, but I'm not so high on the Blazers' decision to go with it.

Bigt6909 · 02-11-2004, 08:45 AM

The hawks are giving up two good players for a player that sometimes pretends to mentally challenged.. the only good part is the cap room... and the blazers are getting those two players but they aren't going to have any money come the offseason.

And with them being in the west, they'll need to revamp that team to even be a contender again.

Overall.. I don't know who's winning this deal.. both are taking some shots below the belt if you ask me.

cactus_bangers · 02-16-2004, 11:35 AM

i think its is pretty great for atlanta. if they drop wallace, they get a ton more cap room. if they keep him, they have a pretty darn good forward to rebuild around. although, they'll probably let him go...

im sure atlanta can land some good free agents. if not superstars, definitely good players who can develop. i still wish shareef was in atl though.

Sensei · 02-16-2004, 03:57 PM

As a Portland native I joined the rest of the city in letting out a collective cheer as the headache was traded away. This was really a win-win situation, the kind of trade that every GM dreams of making. I really wish we didn't trade Jeff McGinnis, AND let both Pippen and Daniels walk this past offseason. We went from overstaffed at SG to dangerously understaffed.

02-09-2004, 10:44 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mojo_PeiPei Kiss of Death Location: Perpetual wind and sorrow	He's an awesome player. He just didn't like playing at Portland... Its like working at a shitty job, you go half assed because you don't like it. In the right enviroment he'll thrive. __________________ To win a war you must serve no master but your ambition.

02-10-2004, 08:12 AM	#5 (permalink)
JoeyB feeling tingly	Atlanta is going to have monster cap room after this season. Wallace will be off the books along with Terrell Brandon's injury #'s..... I don't know if the Hawks will ever challenge again, but at least they'll have the opportunity to reload next year. __________________ My mom is a Diamondbacks fan. She really likes the Big Unit

02-10-2004, 09:09 AM	#7 (permalink)
quest1mark Insane	dammit...i wouldve liked to see shareef go to orlando for juwan howard and drew gooden. but it didnt work out that way. it was a good trade for both sides. __________________ Best told at a place called...the TFP. on a quest...

02-10-2004, 08:30 PM	#10 (permalink)
goateebird Tilted Location: NC	Portland has a very crowded frontcourt now, with Shareef, Zach Randolph, and Ratliff. I'm assuming they'll go with Shareef at SF, Randolph at PF, and Ratliff at C. If so, I don't think Shareef will work very well at that position. Rasheed was a much better perimeter shooter than him. I think this was a great move for the Hawks, but I'm not so high on the Blazers' decision to go with it. Last edited by goateebird; 02-11-2004 at 04:13 PM..

02-11-2004, 08:45 AM	#11 (permalink)
Bigt6909 Crazy Location: Michigan	The hawks are giving up two good players for a player that sometimes pretends to mentally challenged.. the only good part is the cap room... and the blazers are getting those two players but they aren't going to have any money come the offseason. And with them being in the west, they'll need to revamp that team to even be a contender again. Overall.. I don't know who's winning this deal.. both are taking some shots below the belt if you ask me. __________________ Beer. Now there's a temporary solution. --Homer Simpson

02-09-2004, 10:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
Jadey This Space For Rent Location: Davenport, Iowa	Alright, I'm an Atlanta Hawks fan (yup, I'm the one), and even though I hate Rasheed---I love this trade. Okay, maybe I love this trade. We've basically traded a backup point guard and 2 very large contracts for half of a season of a pain in the ass. Depending on what happens next year in free agency with the money freed up from the Terrell Brandon Contract and not having Abdur-Rahim and Ratliff's contracts around. If Atlanta let Persona and Wallace walk this could be huge! I did like Shareef and Theo, but they were making way too much for what they were contributing to a losing team. This team needs to hit rock bottom (it seems like we've been there since 'Nique retired) and rebuild from scratch.

02-10-2004, 05:20 AM	#4 (permalink)
jasonresno Banned	Looks like Atlanta is cleaning up room to rebuild...but dude...I loved Shareef and Theo in Atlanta...and I loathe Rasheed...

02-10-2004, 08:59 AM	#6 (permalink)
dragon2fire Junkie	the big question is will any one be willing to play for them

02-10-2004, 11:05 AM	#9 (permalink)
Jadey This Space For Rent Location: Davenport, Iowa	That's the question I have too. Has Atlanta become that type of organization that noone wants to play for? I don't think a lot of "casual" basketball fans even realize Atlanta still has a team. I wonder if the people of Atlanta even realize they still have a team. I guess we'll see over the summer when they have all of this money to spend. If they can convince a few players to come to Atlanta and become competitive atleast (a possible playoff spot in the weak East), maybe the fans will return also.

02-16-2004, 11:35 AM	#12 (permalink)
cactus_bangers Upright	i think its is pretty great for atlanta. if they drop wallace, they get a ton more cap room. if they keep him, they have a pretty darn good forward to rebuild around. although, they'll probably let him go... im sure atlanta can land some good free agents. if not superstars, definitely good players who can develop. i still wish shareef was in atl though.

02-16-2004, 03:57 PM	#13 (permalink)
Sensei Black Belt in Slacking Off Location: Portland Or-ah-gun	As a Portland native I joined the rest of the city in letting out a collective cheer as the headache was traded away. This was really a win-win situation, the kind of trade that every GM dreams of making. I really wish we didn't trade Jeff McGinnis, AND let both Pippen and Daniels walk this past offseason. We went from overstaffed at SG to dangerously understaffed. __________________ Slacking off with style since 1981.