DETROIT -- Rasheed Wallace is headed to the Detroit Pistons, who only had to give up reserves and draft picks to land the frontcourt scorer they coveted.
Wallace was moved to Detroit in a three-team trade Thursday
after playing only one game for the Atlanta Hawks, who acquired the
temperamental player from Portland last week.
The two-time All-Star has averaged 16.1 points and 6.7 rebounds during nine NBA years and 17.1 points and 6.6 rebounds this season.
"It gives us a real shot to compete at the highest level in the
NBA right now," Dumars said.
In a deal put together shortly before the NBA trading deadline,
the Pistons sent center Zeljko Rebraca, guard Bob Sura and a
first-round draft pick to the Hawks. That pick will come from
Milwaukee this year if the Bucks make the playoffs.
Detroit also sent guards Lindsey Hunter, Chucky Atkins, its
first round pick this year and cash to Boston, while the Celtics
shipped forward Chris Mills to the Hawks and guard Mike James to
the Pistons.
"That fact that we didn't have to break up our team and we were
able to add the guy we did, it made it a no-brainer move for us,"
Dumars said. "It created cap space and we didn't mess with our
core, so it was a great deal for us."
Besides adding Wallace, the deal will put Detroit about $10
million under the salary cap this summer.
Atlanta acquired Wallace from Portland to clear cap space and
will now could be about $20 million under the salary cap after the
season.
Sura has averaged 8.1 points and 3.5 assists during his
nine-year career and Rebraca has averaged 6.2 points and 3.4
rebounds in three NBA seasons.
"I think this is what's best for the Hawks," Hawks general
manager Billy Knight said. "I'm trying to build a team for the
long haul in the best way possible. Rasheed's a heck of a player,
but I think this is best for us and best for him."
Cleveland coach Paul Silas said he couldn't understand why the
Hawks made the deal.
"That's going to make the Pistons awfully tough," Silas said.
"I just don't know what some people are thinking about."
Atkins has averaged 6.3 points and 2.4 assists over five seasons
while Hunter has averaged 10.3 points and three assists during his
11-season career.
"(Celtics executive director of basketball operations) Danny
(Ainge) brought Chucky in here to be the starting point guard,"
Boston interim coach John Carroll said. "I don't think there was a
question of if he was going to start."
Mills, whose contract expires after the season, has not played
this season because of a heel injury after averaging 11.2 points
during his first 10 years in the league.
Wallace, in the final year of a contract that pays him $17
million this season, was called for a league-record 41 technical
fouls in the 2000-01 season. Last season, he and former Portland
teammate Damon Stoudamire were cited in Washington state on
marijuana charges while returning from a game in Seattle.
Wallace was also suspended by the NBA for seven games for
threatening an official on an arena loading dock after a home game.
That was the league's longest suspension for something that didn't
involve physical contact or substance abuse.
Portland sent Wallace and Wesley Person to Atlanta on Feb. 9 for Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau.
Dumars said Wallace's past problems never entered into his
decision-making process.
"We know about all the issues," he said. "We feel this is a
guy who can help us make a run when it comes to playoff time. We've
said for a while now that we wanted to add an impact player, and we
feel he's the type of guy who can impact our team."
Wallace is scheduled to have a news conference with Brown
before the Pistons host Minnesota on Friday night.