Did Sheed Want to be a Cavalier?

by | Apr 28, 2009 | 51 comments

Blurb from The News-Herald out of Ohio claims Rasheed Wallace asked for a buyout before this season to go to the Cavs.

“Sources say Pistons forward/center Rasheed Wallace asked for a buyout this year, but management declined. Some observers think the possible buyout would have been to join the Cavs. He’s an unrestricted free agent this summer and could be someone the Cavs covet — at the right price. He seems totally disinterested in this current series, but the 6-foot-11, 230-pounder still has something left in his tank.”

Dave Dial over at MLive did a little digging and can’t find any real proof of the rumor.

I don’t really know what to take from this. True or not, why are we hearing about it after the season? Someone is going to have a Need4Sheed but odds are it’s not going to be Detroit again.

UPDATE: Chris McCosky of the Detroit News sets things straight about this rumor.

Contrary to published reports out of Cleveland, Rasheed Wallace never approached Joe Dumars about a buyout.

Could you imagine? Here’s Wallace, struggling most of the season, missing 11 games with a calf injury, coming into Dumars’ office and saying, “Joe, I need you to buy me out so I can finish the season with the Cavs. You know, help LeBron get that ‘ship.”

Sure, anything you want.

Wallace, as Dumars confirmed through e-mail Tuesday, wouldn’t be that bold, or stupid.

That said, one of Wallace’s running bits in the locker room was to wish out loud for a buyout. It started when the Pistons signed Chris Webber a couple years ago after he’d been bought out by Philadelphia.

Wallace would always say, “Damn, I wish somebody would buy me out.”

It was a joke. He was envious of Webber getting all his money from the 76ers and another check from the Pistons on top of it.

Now, the other part of the Cleveland report — that the Cavaliers will consider signing Wallace this summer — is true.

Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry loves big men who can shoot from the perimeter. He would love to have Wallace spotted up when LeBron James draws double- and triple-teams.

51 Comments

  1. shin

    this rumor shouldn’t have even been posted. sheed paid his dues in the motor city

    Reply
  2. gMac

    This is the second straight post season Sheed’s been like crap. This time, he seems TOTALLY out of it.

    Natalie, since Sheed is going to be gone for sure(I doubt JoeD will sign him even if he asks for very little), you should start a thread about how to transition this site smoothly to something else. 😀

    How about ‘NoNeed4Curry’? Why is he not fired yet?

    Reply
  3. Natalie Sitto

    gMac,
    I think Im covered on the transition and since I never thought the site would be as big as it is….I don’t think I would tie the name (if I change it) to a player or a coach. I bought quite a few domain names a while back…

    Who knows what I will do…

    Reply
  4. gMac

    That’s good to know!

    I just hope we will not be crying our ‘need’ for Sheed next season.

    Reply
  5. The Fan

    I doubt anyone is going to have a need 4 sheed. unless they have a need for a guy who wants to chuck and endless amount of 3’s up at the worst possible times and have a need for a player with no heart who has gotten too soft in his old age and is just out there going through the motions collecting his check!

    Detroit should have gotten rid of him 2 years ago.

    Reply
  6. gMac

    I don’t disagree Sheed show no heart. But how he plays really depends on the system.
    Nobody in Utah asks Okur to post up all day, or anyone in Dallas asking Dirk to not shoot 3s. It’s all about how you use him. I guess Larry Brown was the only guy thought about putting Sheed in plays where he’s effective instead of trying to change who he is.

    Reply
  7. Marcell

    Perhaps that’s why he turned off the switch most of the season. Absolutely no effort in that last series at all! Did anyone notice the hugs he gave Cleveland once they won? His face said it all to me. Play your DVR’s back and see what I mean. I really think a lot of things are cooking over there that we don’t even think about. I think back to last summer during that charity golf game that Chauncey sponsored. Remember when he and Dumars got in a heated talk inside his car last summer? I think him and Joe were on the outs so it was instant trade for A.I. Perhaps I’m wrong but I’m sure a lot goes on we don’t even dream about and hope we are wrong. We need some new faces on the team! Guys that want to put out effort in every game.

    Reply
  8. Adam Gross

    I personally think Orlando would make sense. Sheed has never been as happy as when he was teaching Dwight Howard how to play during our the series against Orlando. I know Dwight already has Patrick Ewing teaching him, but maybe Sheed would try and do the player-coach thing.

    Reply
  9. Patrick

    Sheed is washed up. He can score on the post all day but is too lazy to go past the 3 point line.

    Reply
  10. Fariduddin

    there was an interview in which Ben Wallace briefly mentioned that Sheed and others were playing hurt? so it might be a combination of things that contributed to his lack luster performance..? don’t know, but we shouldn’t be so quick to assume the worst out of people.. personally i wouldn’t mind seeing Sheed back next season, but obviously this guy would have to play a different role.. coming off the bench. if he went some place else.. he would not be a starter and i’m sure he knows and accepts this reality…. btw.. Sheed didn’t look in shape all season… it didn’t seem as though work was put in during the summer…? don’t know, just my assumption.. but yeah this summer will be interesting and it will be great to see what Joe D. can do… cuz we have a solid core and young guys to build on.. Tay and Rip… i hate to say it, but one would more than likely be gone next year (traded).

    Reply
  11. Steve (Upland, CA)

    All of you have turned on Sheed oh so quickly. He was the X-factor to the 2004 championship team. The system was a good one,just so many changes in staff were enacted over the years by Joe D. The Spurs never did that. They woudl win one year, lose the otehr, and so forth, however never would jump the gun on changing things so dramatically. You win and lose as a team. Curry as coach wasa humongous mistake. He did not know how to utilize any one of theplayers (small ball, Amir starting, rip to the bench,etc..)Sheed is an emotional player, and still had lots left, its just that with all the dramatic shifting in the teams chemistry, anyone would lose interest. Teh fact of the atter is that our bensh wasnt used, Dyess was traded and Sheed had to bear the grunt physically because none of our other bigs were utilized duringsmall ball, Chauncey was “replaced” by Stuckey, who is not a point guard but a two guard. Stuckey did not show up,but was outplayed by Bynum all year, AI was brought in! Teams that have separated themselves from AI foourish! PHilly, and now Denver! Chauncey is flourishing under a system that had players that on their best day would not beat our Pistons today! Thats waht a true point/leader does! So yeah maybe Sheed is not all there and does not have much faith in the Pistons system anymore. But think about it this way, all the frustrations that are felt by that all of us that are complaining and angrily pointing out the obvious flaws in the system, must still not know how awful it must feel to be in that system. A horrible coach, moves that made no sense, the unecessary ware and tare of Tay and Rip as well, the non utilization of our bench would lead any personn to be disenchanted with the once proud and strong team. San Antonio, maybe thats who Dumars should be looking at, a team. This was once a team, they win together and they lose together. I don’t blame Sheed, I just figure we all might have to look at it through his eyes.

    Reply
  12. Colton Keck

    Yeah you all wanna bash sheed , but with out him there would be no ring . The whole city of detroit should stop hating on people who did something for there community, I mean the man rep’ed detroit gear at premiers , how many nba players rep there City’s gear at a event , EVEN BEING THE CITY IS DETROIT , Im going to stay a pistons fan until i die, yall can keep hating sheed because he did something , and love the tigers because they didnt do shit .

    Reply
  13. ryan ricafort

    Sheed is the only one who could confirm if these rumors are true or not. Whether or not these are true, we can’t ignore the fact that he helped get the ship, so stop hatin’ and start appreciatin.

    Also, this may seem out of place, but I read somewhere that this is Jerry Sloan’s last year as coach in Utah. Hmmm…

    Reply
  14. LiamJones

    I love Sheed and he did a lot of great things for this team and community, but there is no excuse for throwing in the towel. I hope he plays great wherever he is next season, but I will not defend the effort (or lackthereof) he put forth this season.

    Reply
  15. DD3

    Loved Sheed for what he brought, but he has always been a lathargic player, never fully reaching his potential because he had no desire to do so. He is from that era where your talent got you far enough to be treated like a star & not held accountable for your actions. There are a lot of players from that era, guys like C Webb, Joe Smith, Tim Thomas. Guys who never worked hard enough to be better than their talent but never had the drive to become better. It’s sad. You see someone like Lebron born with obvious gifts, but the desire to be the best. Sheed never had that desire, but had the skills. I hate to see him go out like this. I don’t doubt that their may be a little truth to this rumor, but Sheed was sitting next to Curry endorsing his promotion to head coach & also was the biggest Flip Saunders hater on the team. So I doubt he asked for that buy out at the beginning of the season. Anyway thanks Sheed for everything you’ve done for us, but as my friend & Cav’s employee said to me, “sorry dog, business is business” Kick rocks on on he way out the door buddy.

    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! JOE D! DO NOT GO AFTER BOOZER! That will be a bad move. At 27 & as injure prone as he is, he will be on the decline!Plus he had the opportunity to play with arguably the 2 best young players in the league in Deron Williams & Lebron James & bolted for MONEY. He isn’t motivated by winning. He wants to be the #1 guy & the highest paid. Karma is a bitch & players like that usually become BUSTS! Don’t do it JOE. Save the cap money for a few trades. Ugh! Don’t let us down Joe!

    Reply
  16. Fariduddin

    thank you Steve & Colton… its cool to be critical of players but damn its too much hate for me to take. Sheed was a major reason why the pistons won it all in 04′. chemistry is vital in any group effort: sports or in the work world. Jordan didn’t win anything until Phil came into the picture and had a disciplined structure…. MC might be a problem but that doesn’t mean the players aren’t accountable…

    Reply
  17. need4sheedvisitor

    idc what happens, id still love the blue red and white….. i just hate it how people pinpoint the blame on certain people…. remember how you guys bashed chaunce after we lost to boston, and now he’s doing amazing… if we lose sheed, hopefully it wont be the same situation where we are wishing him back…

    Reply
  18. Maxaholic

    Bullshit story, there is no proof of it. It’s just an Ohio asshole with nothing to write. Sheed wasn’t the only dissapointed Piston hugging the Cavs by the way. Sheed gets shit for hugging KG, even by Espn and ABC, but no one gives Garnett shit for doing the same thing. Its all a way to hate on Sheed. Does anyone here think Sheed lost us the season? No, it was the whole team. Give it up, Sheed was a great player to have on our team and is the type of person I want to be in our community.

    Reply
  19. DD3

    I just read Keith Langlois’ True Blue Pistons article about our options this summer.
    http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/truebluepistons.html

    Other than getting Bosh & losing Tay is our only sure fire way to still be players next season, but still isn’t enough. Losing Tay is going to leave a gapping hole at SF & we still need a center. The only center available is Chandler. Without CP3 tossing alleyoops to Tyson, his game is pretty weak. 2010 is a big year. Wouldn’t it be wiser to hold off on making major moves this summer? We can get a few top players at lower cost with the downward spiral of the economy. There were no names mentioned in that article that make sense & Keith is in the know & usually dead on with what goes on behind the scenes. This has me worried. What do you all think?

    Reply
  20. eric taylor

    gMac you have NO IDEA how much Dallas hates it when dirk sits on the 3 and hits long balls, they hate it hate it hate it, they hate it that dirk likes to play soft, that dirk would rather hit a fall away jumper than go to the hole they HATE IT. Soft play by dirk nowitzki has cost the mavs several attempts at a ring.

    It’s not just about points. When you play soft and don’t play down low, the opposing team’s big don’t pick up fouls, and they can play their best bigs more minutes. If you play hard ball down low, the other bigs pick up fouls, and they have to play less minutes or they just give up and let you make the basket. Dallas screams in anguish that dirk doesn’t play as big as he is.

    Sometimes Dirk plays more like a 7 footer than a shooter. He’s clumsy when he drives to the bucket, it’s not pretty, but when he does it, the mavs are so much better.

    Anyway, every team has the same complaint about their bigs. Fans want a big to PLAY like a big. And they are right.

    Reply
  21. eric taylor

    one more thing. McDyess is GONE GONE GONE. He wants a ring. And he will NOT STAY IN DETROIT. We can’t offer him enough money to stay, it’s not about the money for him its about winning. And he’s so inexpensive that he can just sign on with one of the top 3 teams in the NBA without hurting their cap.

    100% dice is gone. Go get that ring big guy you deserve it!

    Reply
  22. Amer ican Prince

    This is one of the reasons ive been trying to stay away from Pistons news I knew something like this was going to come out. And then there’s the inevitable Dyess signs with another team.

    Messing with my Pistons is like messing with my emotions. I don’t wanna have to funk you up Smokey

    Reply
  23. ScrappyNappy

    My take is FIRE Micheal Curry (no knock on him) just isn’t ready 2 coach a roster full of veteran players, i believe if he was 2 start a team from scratch he could implement his own system and be a very good coach. Get somebody like Avery Johnson, Jerry Sloan, Doug Collins, or there is this guy who has coached the shock 2 a few titles, a no non-sense coach who demands respect and knows how 2 win. Let Sheed go (love the guy) but it’s time 2 move on. Trade Tayshaun for Ronnie Brewer more athletic and much more of a better defender in my opinion. Amir Johnson is like Darko a dissappointment keep Kwame add somebody like Bosh or Boozer. Put Rip on the trade block and c what happens. Bynum is where Stuckey should b. Maxiell is a keeper as well as McDyess. Play the young guy Sharpe that’s what u drafted him 4. Tryin 2 win Championships not please the fans. Winning is what makes fans happy. Did not do enough 2 make A.I. happy was treated all wrong. A future hall of famer and was not treated fairly, improvements need 2 b made 2 keep this team in the top echlon of Eastern Confrence

    Reply
  24. eric taylor

    i think we have to keep curry. he’s pretty awful, but the fact is our talent isn’t worth a better coach. Joe D could spend $5 million on a great coach but it’s not worth it! Just too expensive. I think Joe D is playing is cards right, give Curry one more year, because we can’t afford to get someone better, not next year. Maybe curry will be better next year. don’t forget the entire economy has cratered, the pistons can’t afford to throw around money

    Reply
  25. Mark

    Sheed got Detroit it’s ‘ship in 04. Now he’s been spending all this time since Ben left having to fill the role of center. He’s not a center. He has been playing injured. I hope he stays. He brings something to this team with his personality. I won’t trash him no matter what.

    Reply
  26. Vanalope

    Yes I’m going to change the subject since the entire direction of this thread makes me frown.

    I can’t believe no one is commenting on what happened in last night’s game with the Nuggets/Hornets, my god what a blow out. Alls I can say is good for Chauncey. For obvious reasons the Nuggets are who I’ll be pulling for the remainder of these playoffs. Yes I’m still a Pistons fan but since the season is over for them, I’d like to see Denver now take it all.

    Reply
  27. Juice

    DONT CHANGE THE NAME.

    SHEED IS NOT JUST A NAME… ITS A STATE OF MIND.

    Reply
  28. Patrick

    I have not “turned on sheed”… what i stated is that he is washed up which is a fact. I do thank him for being a large part of the 2004 championship.

    Reply
  29. The Fan

    TP22: Iverson is ahead in one stat. He had less turnovers than billups!

    Reply
  30. DD3

    ScrappyNappy uhh did you not see Kobe have his way against Brewer, definitely not a player we need. I am not the biggest Curry supporter, but I agree with Eric Taylor after some consideration. Curry made a lot of bad decisions & faced a lot of adversity. He got that rookie season under his belt, he learned. Doc Rivers was awful his first few years & couldn’t get the respect of his Vets. He was 1 season away from being fired before Ainge saved both of their jobs. He gave the ball to a 2nd year point guard & some how got 3 superstars to play together. Mike Brown wasn’t winning much his 1st season. All it takes is for your main guy to buy into the coaches system. But we have no leader, no main guy, so there is no way the rest of the players will follow suit. Lebron & Mike Brown are completely on the same page so the rest of the team follows them. KG, Paul Pierce & Allen all are on the same page as Doc. Rip, Tay. Those are our leaders now. They have to buy into Curry’s system. But neither of them are leaders or main guy material. I will say this til I am blue in the face, if we get a superstar via trade & pick up a wing player via free agency, we are good. As long as that star & Curry start off on the same page. Stucky is a really good player. Is he a future stud? We won’t know for another year or 2. So for now if Joe can’t pull off a trade, we should keep what we have, get some bargain pieces & just wait til 2010 when we can get a player we really want. A star that can put us over the hump. Until we find a main guy to lead Stuckey, Bynum, Maxiel, Rip, Prince & who ever is left, we don’t deserve a top coach. I’d love to get Avery Johnson. I mean LOVE, but he wouldn’t be able to do much with this bunch. Sorry to say.

    Reply
  31. Chad

    Lebron, Mo, Ben, Dyess and Sheed…. ouch.

    Reply
  32. Amer ican Prince

    TP22 that article made me laugh my butt off. Nice catch. But AI leads in TOs though. haha

    Reply
  33. Coach MC

    Ball don’t lie!

    Reply
  34. Richie

    There can’t be any truth to this. Rasheed hates the way the Cavs play- he hates teh flopping and he hates teh lopsided officiating they get. If he wanted to play for another team, I’d guess ANY team BUT Cleveland.

    Reply
  35. Marcell

    Chris McCosky wrote an interesting article in the news this morning. He says it’s not true and talks about possible other trades. Hope Joe can work on pulling this team back together.

    Reply
  36. Andrew

    Hey Natalie what will happen to this site after the season? Still Need4Sheed?

    Reply
  37. #1 Stuckey fan

    Steve (Upland, CA) Says:
    “Stuckey did not show up,but was outplayed by Bynum all year, AI was brought in!”

    WOW, really? I didn’t see Bynum til the end of the season #1 and #2 I really thought for a 2nd yr PG having to take on the responsibility he did, Stuckey did the best job he could. He had a bad month, but I’m pretty sure (other than superstars) that happens to most players. He had a decent series against Cleveland. I can admit that Bynum is a great BACKUP, but def. not a starter. Stuckey will get better over time, I mean Chauncey had the same attribute as Stuckey (with everyone sectioning him to a SG), but overtime he began to understand the game and become a great PG, as I feel Stuckey will accomplish. To say that he isn’t great so quick (and def. to put Bynum over his rank), is a dumb statement to make. And let’s face it if Billups were still here you wouldn’t even have seen Bynum period…except in garbage minutes. Sheed on the other hand…well i have been sayin all along that he needs to go, and that’s all I’m gonna say. He’s worn out his welcome, period. I really do hope Dyess can sign with whom ever he chooses (although i would rather it be us lol), he really deserves a championship and i will miss him dearly if he does go. Time to start the rebuild process

    P.S. I don’t know any longer that we can get Boozer as much as i think he could be an asset. He stated that he wanted to be a Jazz player for next season, but who knows he could always change.. AGAIN lol. Milsap would be nice (not as good as Booz) and they can’t sign everyone again without goin over the luxury tax.

    Reply
  38. Blam

    everybody forgot that we have Deron Washington. Hes like a SF right?

    Reply
  39. Thumbu

    I don’t usually hate on other bloggers, but that open letter to McDyess is one of the most obnoxious, condescending things I’ve ever seen on the web. “Dear Antonio McDyess, We would have loved you on the Cavs, but you refused, and now you’re out of the playoffs altogether. And, honestly, I’m glad, ’cause we don’t need you away. Sincerely, Cavs Fan.” I can understand an open letter to a player, and I can even understand an open letter praising a player, hoping they’ll sign with my team (it’s a nice gesture, after all, and generates some buzz if your site has traffic). But I don’t understand open letters which are just back handed-compliments. What possesses a sports fan to write something so stupid, and to dress it in such formality? Seriously.

    Reply
  40. mike

    I think Sheed wont be there next season. He is getting up there in age. He is my favorite ball player and everybody thinks im nuts. He has had his day in the NBA I think he might just retire. As much as I hate to see him go, the Pistons need to get a good big man in return. They really put the nail in the coffin when they traded Billups for AI. Billups made Detroit he set everybody up with scoring opportunities. It just sucks now because Joe D is gonna have to tear the team apart to be contenders again.

    Reply
  41. Kyle

    i love sheed for what he’s done and what he’s capable of, but i’ve wanted him off the team for a while now. he’s mentally weak, he’s always been mentally weak. he was only successful when ben and larry were telling him what to do. without those strong personalities he devolved.

    thanks for everything sheed, can’t say i’m sorry to see you go.

    Reply
  42. nwa88

    I think it’s ridiculous the way people are bashing Rasheed. This whole team gave up, minus the role-players that need their jobs, once Billups left. This team was basically left for dead once they put AI out for the playoffs, the writing was on the wall for these Pistons — their era is over. Anyone would lack motivation after that and I can’t blame them for trying to get the ugly end of this era over with as soon as possible.

    I hope Sheed gets on a contender (San Antonio preferably, think they could really use him in their system) and wins another championship there and also hope that this site continues to follow Rasheed in his future endeavors.

    Reply
  43. gMac

    I have no problem with us giving up. But why play Kwame over Jason? Why not just play all the young players and get better draft picks? Why even bother making the playoff as the worst team?

    GM=>stupid, Coach=>retarded

    Reply
  44. babyeater

    rasheed i love you, you have been my favorite player for the last 9 years…but go fuck yourself for trying to go to the cavs…you trick ass bitch ass mark ass non smoking non drinking non pouring up faggot…have some god damn respect for the club and dont go to the same CONFERENCE AND DIVISION RIVAL…i cannot wait for you to come to the palace with a fuckin cavs jersey on i will be the first to throw a beer at your bitch ass….RASHEED YOU ARE A HOE!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  45. willy

    sheed you one of my idols but if this shits true. then you aint know idol. if u go to the cavs in the offseason, then i hope u dont plan on returning to the pallace with cheers

    Reply

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