Gerald Wallace, really?

So the Mavs have said they would really like to add Charlotte free agent Gerald Wallace. And on the surface, that sounds like a great idea. He's athletic, a good defender and likes to do the dirty work. But the reality is that he put up numbers on a bad team, and he is a flat-out awful jump shooter. It's either dunk or layup, because Wallace can't even make free throws.

This reminds me a lot of last off-season, when the Mavs just had to have Raptors free-agent guard Mike James. Thank goodness that never worked out.

The same thing will happen this time, because Wallace will probably be way out of the Mavs' price range. Besides, the Mavs already have a better version of Wallace. His name is Josh Howard. And he can shoot.

-- Garza, Mavs Lite

Comments

[Cynthia]

Gosh, this is the first negative comments I've seen about Gerald Wallace. He seems to have quite a few suitors to be such a bad player. I have to admit, I haven't watched him play much. The few times I have watched Charlotte play Okafor was playing lights out and I really didn't notice Wallace. Is he really this bad?

[Jeremy S.]

Boy, give me "either a dunk or a layup" all day long. Haven't you been watching this team for I don't know, ever? Wallace is EXACTLY the type of player Dallas needs. You know, not everyone needs to be a great perimeter shooter to play a significant role on a contender.

[Chris]

I am in shock! We don't need Wallace!? He is the exact type of player that this team needs. While Wallace may not be the best jump shooter,(although he has improved with each year, and please keep in mind he has only seen real playing time for a few seasons), he has the ability to create his own shot. He is a defencive first player, my goodness the man started in 4 different positions last year! If God granted Avery the ability to create his own player.....this is who Avery would create. The man comes to play every single game and I for one would be thrilled to have him on this team.

[Me]

Stay away from guys that put up numbers on bad teams. Gerald Wallace has little range or the ability to create his own shot. He can finish in transition and get garbage buckets and not much else. Also, one of the Mavs problems in the playoffs the last 2 years, was when opposing teams double Dirk, there was not a consistent perimeter shooter to make them pay. With Harris, Diop/Dampier, and Wallace on the court together, you will have 3 positions that cant make a shot outside of 15 ft.

[Whip]

OK, you say that he's "athletic, a good defender and likes to do the dirty work. It's either dunk or layup." I was under the impression that the Mavericks desperately need those things. Get this guy! He's the only free agent left that can come in and make an impact.

[Joe]

Garza, what are you smoking? The Mavs' biggest problem is that they don't have any guys who's primary offensive move is a dunk or a layup!!!! We have too many shooters as it is now. Wallace could keep the Mavs in the game with his dunks and layups while Dirk and Josh Howard find their shooting touch again.
Stay away from players on bad teams? Judging by your comments, the Mavs shouldn't have traded for Jason Terry. He came from the abysmal Atlanta Hawks.
As for needing another perimeter shooter, the Mavs lost to Golden State because they had no one to punish their undersized lineup underneath the basket. A player who either dunks or shoots a layup would have helped the Mavs advance. All of our shooters were cold the entire series. Our shooters couldn't help us and we got run out of the gym.