What Happened To Gerald Wallace?

[Liver_Pooty]

He was underrated for so long that he slowly became overrated.

That and a player whos entire game is based on nothing but athleticism... It happens.

[Shem]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/903 ... tracts-nba

The good news? If the Nets didn't trade for Wallace, they wouldn't have been able to pay Deron Williams $98 million for the five years after his prime, and they wouldn't have been able to lock down Wallace at $40 million right after his career careered off a cliff.

2012: 13.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 45.4% FG, 80% FT, 16.0 PER
2013: 8.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 41.5% FG, 65% FT, 12.5 PER

That's not a slump, that's NBA menopause. We've seen it happen with too many athletic NBA forwards over the years — once they lose it, it never comes back. Repeat: NBA menopause. It's a real thing. Anyone know how to swear in Russian?

[HornetJail]

Wow, I just looked at Wallace's stats this year. He has not only fallen off the cliff, he made a crater with his landing, and that crater caved in, leaving a deep abyss into which Gerald is still falling to this day.

I knew he was regressing quickly with age, I had no idea it was this bad. 8.1/4.9/2.6/1.4/.7 on 40%/29.1%/65% in 31 minutes a game??? This is sad- just three years ago, he was averaging 18/10 on great percentages and was the best wing defender in the league. Glad we traded him when we did though.

[BobbySura]

he was never that good offensively and now he's old

[shmeakone]

Should've just drafted Harrison Barnes, King is an idiot.

He could've signed Kirilenko for that type of money, but he was forced to sign Wallace because if he didn't he'd look like an idiot for making that trade.

[Jay10]

Gerald Wallace has entered cruise control until he retires.

2012-2013: $9,682,435
2013-2014: $10,105,855
2014-2015: $10,105,855
2015-2016: $10,105,855

[gotokyo]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9030601/the-worst-contracts-nba

The good news? If the Nets didn't trade for Wallace, they wouldn't have been able to pay Deron Williams $98 million for the five years after his prime, and they wouldn't have been able to lock down Wallace at $40 million right after his career careered off a cliff.

2012: 13.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 45.4% FG, 80% FT, 16.0 PER
2013: 8.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 41.5% FG, 65% FT, 12.5 PER

That's not a slump, that's NBA menopause. We've seen it happen with too many athletic NBA forwards over the years — once they lose it, it never comes back. Repeat: NBA menopause. It's a real thing. Anyone know how to swear in Russian?

Don't forget Johnson and his bargain of a contract.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

He is a player who relied on athleticism, those players hit a wall fast. Thats why you see NFL HBs leading the league in rushing yards(exaggeration), then replaced half way through the next season all the time.

[tranjSAIC]

Billy King makes Otis look like a genius, ok no one is that bad but you get the idea.

[azuresou1]

4 yrs 40 mm. God bless.

#BeWell

You have an awesome sig

[JohnnyKILLroy]

As hard as Wallace has played through out his career his impact on winning should never be questioned.

[Frank Mulely]

Gerald Wallace has entered cruise control until he retires.

2012-2013: $9,682,435
2013-2014: $10,105,855
2014-2015: $10,105,855
2015-2016: $10,105,855

just wow....nothing new but man I shoulda worked on my jumper more

[NyCeEvO]

The Nets never cared that much if he would actually live up to his contract, he got paid to help entice Deron into staying. Same is true with Joe Johnson, in fact you won't understand any transaction the Nets made in the past two years without looking at it through that prism.

This not true.

Before Wallace was traded to the Nets, D-Will said that whatever they decide to do between the period just before the trading deadline and the end of the regular season was not going to influence his decision to stay.

Even after Wallace was traded, D-Will said it had no impact on his decision to stay.

D-Will wasn't genuinely excited by him. It was Billy King's "master plan" of trying to lure D-Will to stay with the Nets.

IMO, if Dallas could have offered the same amount of money that Brooklyn could've offered (which they could not do per CBA rules) and the Nets didn't acquire Joe Johnson, I think D-Will would've gone to Dallas and left Lopez and Wallace in BK.

King did a horrible trade for Wallace's useless bird rights AND then he compounded the mistake by overpaying him (as if to backup the idea that we really wanted him on the team). No one was going to pay Wallace close to 4/40. Maybe 3/24 but not 4/40.

Now, we're reaping what Billy King sowed.

You do a garbage trade, you give him a garbage contract, and now he's playing like garbage.

But if you ask Billy King, he says that Wallace has intangibles that do not show up in the box score. Well, whatever intangibles he had, he's clearly lost them, because he was paid to be a good defender like Tony Allen and now he can't even do that well.

[PetroNet]

Besides the accurate "father time" answer, he's also in a different situation than he's been in for the past few years. In Charlotte and even some in Portland, he was considered a #2-3 option on offense. Sometimes with Charlotte, he was the goto guy. In Brooklyn, he's what? The 4th option, at best? You got Lopez, Williams and Johnson who are all easily ahead of him. With so few opportunities, it's obvious why his offensive production has nose dived. Combined with his age, this shouldn't come as much of a surprise.

That said, it's obviously a surprise for Billy King since he clearly didn't plan on spending 40mil for a guy who can't even average a double double any more.

also, he is playign on a team that plays at the leagues slowest pace and scores exclusively in the half court. that is so not wallaces game. also, we dont move teh ball, its all iso

[Paradise]

he can still jump out the gym, so he isn't declining into an old man yet but it seems to me, he didn't do anything over the summer and now he has no confidence.

This is what lazy offseasons look like.

[Ice Trae]

He looks awful out there. Has Marshons defense improved at all? Why not start him at the 2 and slide Joe to the 3. Their starting lineup right now has below average floor spacing. Joe is inconsistent and Wallace seems to always brick whatever shot he takes.

[Shem]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9030601/the-worst-contracts-nba

The good news? If the Nets didn't trade for Wallace, they wouldn't have been able to pay Deron Williams $98 million for the five years after his prime, and they wouldn't have been able to lock down Wallace at $40 million right after his career careered off a cliff.

2012: 13.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 45.4% FG, 80% FT, 16.0 PER
2013: 8.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 41.5% FG, 65% FT, 12.5 PER

That's not a slump, that's NBA menopause. We've seen it happen with too many athletic NBA forwards over the years — once they lose it, it never comes back. Repeat: NBA menopause. It's a real thing. Anyone know how to swear in Russian?

Don't forget Johnson and his bargain of a contract.

Yeah, because this is a thread about Joe Johnson... sorry, I forgot... silly me...

[Trader_Joe]

I don't know exactly what happened to G.Wall but between him and Evans we are 3 on 5 on offense when they play together.

If I were the coach, I would move Wallace to the second unit (who likes to run with Watson, Brooks and Blatche) and start Bogans who at least offers spacing with his 3 point shot (until recently that is). Or, move Wallace to the 4 with Bogans or Teletovic at SF. Wallace simply doesn't fit on the offense end with the type of offense we play with the starters. He's not a 3 point shooter and he's not overly effective in the half-court. However, his defense and leadership (on and off the court) is hard to replace.

As for the trade.. D.Will did say the team needed more veterans and more versatile players last season. The trade was made, obviously as a panic move after Dwight fell through, but was done when we were a few games back of the 8th seed and Lopez due back soon (before reinjuring his foot). The plan was to try to make the playoffs and gain some sort of momentum as a team. It was a risk King took and while it made me sick to my stomach the day of, I understand why he did it, though he should have tried to raise the protection or make the same offer for Pierce (the Celtics supposedly would have done the same deal with no protection on the pick)

[Golabki]

Couple things...
1. Wallace is not getting a lot of touches with Williams/Johnson/Lopez.
2. He's the only perimeter player that plays any D (unless you count Keith Bogans, which I don't).

[kerry kittles]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9030601/the-worst-contracts-nba

The good news? If the Nets didn't trade for Wallace, they wouldn't have been able to pay Deron Williams $98 million for the five years after his prime, and they wouldn't have been able to lock down Wallace at $40 million right after his career careered off a cliff.

2012: 13.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 45.4% FG, 80% FT, 16.0 PER
2013: 8.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 41.5% FG, 65% FT, 12.5 PER

That's not a slump, that's NBA menopause. We've seen it happen with too many athletic NBA forwards over the years — once they lose it, it never comes back. Repeat: NBA menopause. It's a real thing. Anyone know how to swear in Russian?

DWill is past prime? He's 28, the same age as Lebron, and has been playing at a very high level since the All Star break.
As far as Gerald Wallace is concerned, he's still explosive, and his athleticism hasn't fallen off the cliff the way that people are making it seem. Its all in his head, his confidence is shot, he is getting to the rim, but finishing at such a low rate. His inability to hit an outside shot is also killing the Nets as teams are sagging off so much daring him too shoot. He needs to really work on his 3 point shot this offseason, like Kidd has done and transform his game to help the team