Ben Wallace is Back!

by | Aug 7, 2009 | 100 comments

Via Chris McCosky of The Detroit News

“On a day when the Pistons signed all three 2009 draft picks, they also reached an agreement with one of their former all-stars.

Ben Wallace, the four-time defensive player of the year, agreed to terms with the Pistons on a one-year deal worth $1.3 million. Wallace is expected to sign the deal next week.


Wallace’s role in Detroit, however, is expected to be a far reduced one than when he left for Chicago in 2006. He will be the fifth big man and serve as a much-needed leader on a team whose average age is 25.”

I wasn’t really in the market for an older Ben Wallace but him on the roster for 1.3 million…..BAM! I’ll take him.

We are unable to FEAR THE FRO anymore unless Ben’s hair grows really fast.

Question of the Day….Does Stuckey give up the #3 for Ben?

100 Comments

  1. Dre

    What? The “Defensive Machine” is back!???? Congratulations. I suppose your front office knows what it’s doing AFTER ALL…….. *Michael Curry residue resides……..*

    Reply
  2. Dre

    Heat-Pistons; Oct, 5. Write it down. Can’t wait.

    Reply
  3. obiwan

    finnaly joe dumbars make a legit move to help the d

    Reply
  4. obiwan

    whats up cryin ryan

    Reply
  5. DEL

    YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wow i am so excited right now for a new season!! WOOOOOW this is sooooo goood!!! Big Ben on the bench, and now we really look good! WOOOOOW

    Reply
  6. Chuck

    Welcome back! I don’t think he’ll make a big impact on the court, but for that price I’m glad to have him back.

    Reply
  7. Mike

    YES!!!!

    Reply
  8. Grimoaldo

    But doesn’t Stuckey wear #3 now?? What will Ben do? Take #1? That seems to be the path of least resistance. 😉

    Reply
  9. Jesse

    ben gets number 3 back and stuckey wears number 23

    thats just the way i see it 🙂

    Reply
  10. trav

    rebound row

    Reply
  11. RVN

    stuckey woulda given up his number for AI. im pretty sure he’ll give it back to big ben. im even more excited now. i know he’s not gonna do much but we definitely need a leader cuz rip n tay arent leaders

    Reply
  12. Amer ican Prince

    wow there are few stories this summer that really made me smile and get kinda fidgety and excited but this move did. I know i’m not expecting old ben but i think with arnie kandor he is going to be a lot more productive than these past couple years. This isn’t the same team as before but i think his attitude of doing things other than score can have a postive impact on a team with so many scorers

    Reply
  13. Amer ican Prince

    so are you going to do a new toon of ben wallace or are you going to just bring back the old one natalie?

    Reply
  14. ali bazzi

    YESS!! BIG BEN WALLACE!! only wish he had his fro

    Reply
  15. Th3 Answ3r

    Hehe Nat, I was just going to tell you that Ben Wallas re-signed.

    Welcome back Big Ben!

    Reply
  16. Brother Edmund

    With Wilcox and CV and now Big Ben Wallace we are looking nice in the front court. And he can retire a pistons……..Now tell him to grow that Fro back!!!

    Reply
  17. mannie g

    sweeeeeeeeeet…. i got a text half hour ago from a friend when i was in a meeting about the signing… i had to hold in my excitement haha

    Reply
  18. pistons 4 life

    I don’t know how much of an impact this will make, but I’m actually very happy that this signing will take place. Hopefully this will be his last stop and he’ll retire as a Piston.

    Reply
  19. pistons 4 life

    If all of us are excited, but imagine what Mason must be thinking right now!!

    Reply
  20. Brother Edmund

    I’m hoping for the same thing.

    Reply
  21. DD3

    With him, our roster looks less spotty. We have a decent 6th or 7th team in the east which is still better than we finished last year. That’s all we want. Progress.

    Stucky/Bynum at PG

    Rip/Gordon at SG

    Tay/Daye at SF

    CV/Maxiel/Wilcox at PF

    Kwame/Big Ben at C

    Not GREAT but not bad either. At least the pieces look like they fit better than last year. But we all of a sudden look better than or as good as Atl, Mia, Phi, Chi & most of the mid pack players. If Cle & Orl’s pick ups don’t mesh a’la the AI Det fiasco! Then we can probably sneak up on one of them….ok overly optimistic. But at least I am supportive this week!

    Reply
  22. Natalie Sitto

    I think a New Toon is the way to go…Fro Less

    Reply
  23. Bryant

    No way should Stuckey have to give up number 3, but I think if Ben asked for it he would. IMO Stuckey deserves to wear the number he wants, ben wont see the court much anyways, we’ll hardly see the number 3 if Bens got it

    Reply
  24. Darshan

    hey natalie, wut happened to those ben wallace wallpapers u used to have…. see if u can put some of them back up… im so psyched that BIG BEN WALLACE!!! is back…imma celebrate tonight!!!

    Reply
  25. RVN

    too bad his name wont be announced in the starting line up…… =(

    b-b-b-b-b-ben…. wwwwwwaallacee!!

    Reply
  26. mannie g

    i wouldn’t mind if stuckey gives his number back to big ben… though i think at this point it’s stuckey choice, he shouldn’t be pressured
    but i assume he’d be willing to, considering he was willing to give it to iverson (i was glad he didnt, tho pissed iverson took #1)…

    Reply
  27. Matt Selke

    I think Stuckey will give it up no prob. He was completely willing to give it up for AI. I think Stuckey is laid back enough to where he wouldn’t mind. He hasn’t accomplished anything with this jersey number yet so changing wouldn’t be a big deal. (I think he will eventually accomplish great things.) I’m just curious as to what Stuckey’s new number would be if Ben does want the #3 back.

    Reply
  28. Matt Selke

    Oops, I kind of repeated what you said mannie lol.

    Reply
  29. Melodeath1221

    So yeah Heres the Deal, i just looked at Stuckey’s Twitter, and his last tweet said this.

    “lol Looks like I got to find a new # Welcome back 2 Detroit Big Ben!”

    Stuck is a good Guy, Wonder what Number he’ll take next.

    Reply
  30. Brett

    I’m just glad I can wear 50% of my pistons paraphernalia again!

    Reply
  31. obiwan

    finnaly big ben has come back to day-twa….thank you joe dummy for making a good move…maybe joe dummy might trade fatxiel for a legit defensive stopper like battier….if joe dummy makes a move like that, count on detroit to be contenders not pretenders….

    Reply
  32. Fariduddin

    i was having a real bad day.. came online for my daily need4sheed.com check in.. and the 1st thing i see is Ben is Back! this made my day and brought a smile to my face. im happy he is back! Welcome Big Ben!!!!!!

    Reply
  33. Chris

    Rodney Stuckey was gonna give up #3 for Iverson but NBA rules don’t permit number changing during the season so I think Stuckey will have no problem giving up the number. Besides, Wallace will only be there for about a year.

    Reply
  34. ShutterFro

    I’m the happiest Piston fan alive!! =D Hope he can get the #3 back.

    Reply
  35. Diogenes

    Ben Wallace is my favorite Piston ever. This is the best news of the summer!

    Reply
  36. The Fluidics

    Man, I knew this was coming for years now. It’s just good PR. I don’t think on the court is where they need Wallace, it’s in the locker room. Say what you want about Chauncey, but Ben was the leader of that championship team, and their playoff swagger left with him.

    Reply
  37. mannie g

    that’s awesome of stuckey… really like that kid

    Reply
  38. zkranc

    maybe Ben should start even if he just plays 5 minutes:)

    Reply
  39. Amber

    AHHHHH AHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously my reaction since I heard the news….I jumped up, squealed, and now I’m so excited. Ben, you did us so wrong, but you can make it up!!! I’m forigiving!!!!! WE HAVE DEFENSE, BESIDES RIP, AND A LEADER!!!!! SO thrilled about this trade. However, next time, keep Sheed, Joe. Those two go together.

    Reply
  40. Amber

    Papi will play!

    Reply
  41. Amber

    He can tell our little boys what to do!!!! He will teach them defense, since John cannot!

    Reply
  42. Amber

    Me too me too me too!!!!! I’m going crazy over this!

    Reply
  43. Amber

    The old Ben can come back!!!!!!!! He belongs in Detroit! BENNNNNNNNNNNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  44. Melodeath1221

    Are you kidding? Max over Wilcox? Wilcox is going to bitch slap all the babies Jason ever ate out of him.

    Not To mention Wilcox will be seeing time at Center as well. Ben Wallace was ALWAYS a PF tho his incredible athleticism Allowed him to play the Center. Tho As you SHOULD know, that Athleticism is gone, therefore hes reverted back in to a Power Forward.

    Front court looks like this

    Kwame – Wilcox
    – Max
    CVill / Ben

    I put Max where i did NOT because He’ll play mins between the 4 and the 5 spots. But to show whom will get mins over him. Max Will get whats ever left after these four are done. Alot of it depends on how much Ben Wallace plays per game. Cause you should Assume CVill gets 33 Kwame gets 24 Wilcox gets 24.

    It should also be known that Kwame and WilCox are a complete toss up at the starting Center. Ive herd we want to Separate Wilcox and CVill so they can get tho most out of them scoring wise. THO Wilcox and either Max or Ben is quite small, even for a Back up front court.

    Reply
  45. Amber

    I am so sorry! I found out awhile ago, and I’m STILL way too excited. I hated on Ben when he was on all his shitty teams, but I have missed him, and I’m so happy to have him back! DEFENSE…omg… DEFENSE!!!!

    Reply
  46. Amber

    YES YES YES!!! Defense…wins everything! He is defense!! But can we please have Chauncey back???? Oh, and can we get Terrence Williams??!

    Reply
  47. Bryant

    I like the idea for being back ben on the cheap. Good PR move, outside of that I dont really see it helping this team too much. Although its always good to have another center (if you consider him one) when all we have right now is kwame

    Reply
  48. Bryant

    sorry bringing*

    Reply
  49. Dtown313

    Soooooooo happy bens back
    DETROIT SWAGGER RETURNS
    Chauncey was the mouth of the ’04 team but big ben Wallace was the king of courts
    Just wish he still has his fro!

    Reply
  50. Amber

    Okay so I’m watching the 03-04 Pistons championship DVD…yes because Ben motherfucking Wallace is back!!!!!!! and Joe D. says how Ben is the foundation. 🙂 So sweet, but we still need Chaunc!

    Reply
  51. irman

    *****WAIT EVERYBODY…what i heard is that he’s gonna be a backup to kwame….what the hell…really???

    Reply
  52. RT

    on the 1st meeting with the cavs, ben better block shaq’s dunk so hard he falls to the ground ala 2006 ECF playoffs.

    otherwise, i’m as glad as most of you for him to be repping the d again.

    Reply
  53. Chuck

    Absolutely. I see him more impacting in that role more than I do impacting on the court in a game, and I’m completely fine with that.

    Reply
  54. Adam

    he wore 4 for the cavs so thats my guess

    Reply
  55. Adam

    he should start, to add defense but most likely hell teach kwame daye and villanueva everything he knows so they can carry on his legacy

    Reply
  56. Adam

    no dumars likes ben at center he cause of his defensive ability

    Reply
  57. Adam

    joe dumars is one of the best gms in the nba today have any others team gone to six straight conference finals? dont talk shit maxiell is awesome look how much he has helped us, way to be a fan

    Reply
  58. ben

    cant wear number 4 here jackass dumars!!

    Reply
  59. rube

    please tell me that was a joke. u realize 4 is an issue

    Reply
  60. Melodeath1221

    Switch Like to Liked

    Reply
  61. dustin

    Ben wore #32 in college, which is Rip’s obviously.
    He wore #30 in washington…he won’t were that cause of all the Sheed jerseys.
    And he wore #4 Orlando & Cleveland which is out of the question.
    So maybe #33 possiably? He could get it from Jerebko still.
    I don’t think he will ask #3 from Stuckey…and stuck shouldn have to give it up…he chose it after D-WADE his idol.

    Reply
  62. dustin

    It would be crazy to think one day we maybe lookin up in the palace to see #3 retired and have Wallace & Stuckey name on it. What if stuckey leads the Pistons to a championship or two…and I think Big Ben is deserving of a retired # ? So maybe Stuck would be better off pickin a new # ?

    Reply
  63. streetz

    JUST AS LONG AS BEN DOSNT PICK SOME GAY #84 LIKE C-WEB DID. IF HE GETS #3 BACK, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE STUCKEY SPORT #23

    Reply
  64. Mack

    stuckey 23 would be sweet!!!!!!

    Reply
  65. Mr. David Stern

    Ben Wallace will wear the number 3.
    Rodney Stuckey will wear the number 23.

    Reply
  66. jhon

    BIG BEN CAN REGENERATE HIS POWER IN PISTONS

    Reply
  67. Lori

    I’ve been counting the days til Ben came back. We have ourselves a team again!

    Reply
  68. Diogenes

    I am waiting for Ben to get the #3 back and then i going to invest in his jersey for real – this seals it – he is a Piston great forever. Man I am so stoked!

    Reply
  69. RipJr32

    I think that this move was made by Joe Dumars for one 2 reasons. 1) to get a good, veteran big man 2) to bring the motivation back to the dirty D.

    Reply
  70. Mr. Lulanaj

    Welcome back Big Ben. What took you so long?
    Ben will wear “his” Detroit #
    Stuckey will wear #1 and I hope that helps him play the 1 position
    like the guy who use to wear the #1 (we hope)

    Reply
  71. TJ

    Stuckey should not have to give up his jersey for a one year rental, and if Ben was any kind of decent, he wouldn’t ask for the jersey because this clearly isn’t his team anymore. This is Stuckey’s team, and Stuckey chose the #3. So Ben can choose some other number, now.

    And no way should Stuckey pick #23 if he does have to give up his number. It’s so cliche now a days, I hope he picks something a little more rare. #6 or something.

    Reply
  72. sep24

    joe d has a great basketball mind. if you call him joe dumb-ars you’re an idiot!!!!!

    Reply
  73. McKayla Bohanna

    BEN IS BACK!!! We have to travel to Atlanta and Charlotte to see the Pistons….no way we’re missing the games now!

    Reply
  74. pistons 4 life

    Yeah, I was just thinking I can finally wear my #3 shirt again (in public). 🙂

    Reply
  75. T

    One of my all-time fav players have returned home, show them the heart and hard work it takes to be a champion in this league Ben WELCOME BACK!!!! Ben was the foundation of Det championship run. I am so happy he will eand his career where it really started. Stuck by all means need to give up the #3 jersey out of respect, besides Ben jersey should Be hung with the other grets when he retiers.

    Reply
  76. Jeff

    BEN SHOULD JUST WEAR #30 OR #36 – ITS EASY… AND SAVES THE FANS SOME MONEY!

    Reply
  77. Detroitfan095

    Once a traitor, always a traitor. thats all im saying.

    Reply
  78. jes

    personally, i would start ben over chris. just to hear his introduction

    Reply
  79. jes

    wilcox is a center…he will obviously see time at the 4, but your line up should look like

    stuck/bynumite

    rip/BG

    tay/daye

    cv/max

    wilcox/bigben/kwame

    Reply
  80. Mr. Lulanaj

    Question for Detroitfan095
    if someone offered u a 20% raIse
    doing the same thing u do for a living and u didnt realy get along with ur manager and ur boss didnt think u deserve that much,
    would u take it or say no thanks?
    I didnt think so.
    Ben Wallace #3
    and i like Stuckey but we have to think here he hasnt shown us hes a star or a leader yet and Ben already showed us he is a leader and o yeah he brought us a championship in this town so therefore Stuck should out of respect (which he probably will) give Ben his number back and take the number that should fit him better.
    Perhaps Mr Big Shots number???? Since AI “not the answer” is no longer here

    Reply
  81. TJ

    Keep in mind that that a 20% raise for your average person is a much bigger deal than a 20% raise when you’re a multi-millionaire. I don’t fault him for taking the money but using that as your reasoning is quite silly. You’re saying you can’t live comfortably at $12 million a year? That those extra $3 million was worth throwing away everything else?

    And Dumars was right: Ben wasn’t worth the money he ultimately got. Not even close. Hell, the $12 million a year would have been bad, too.

    Reply
  82. Robert

    Ben Wallace will get number 3 back. He is going to retire after this season. The Number 3 will be retired. Also number 1 will be retired and number 32 when Billups and Hamilton retire as well.

    Reply
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  84. PrintScreenSysRq

    So Rip won’t leave, I hope.

    Reply
  85. ryan ricafort

    welcome back Ben! I just hope you end this season in the D and not become a trade filler come febuary.

    GO PISTONS!

    Reply
  86. Eddie

    I would like to see the number 3 retired for Ben Wallace. Are you forgetting he had FOUR Defensive Player of the Year Awards? It shouldn’t even be up to Stuckey to give it back, it should be automatic. Plus I have three Ben Jerseys I would like to wear again. Welcome Back BEN!!!!

    Reply
  87. taylorc

    Stuckey offered to giv #3 up to ai but the leage wouldent let him because of merchinedice

    Reply
  88. ben

    to tell yall all the truth i was kinda upset that stuckey chose number 3 after big ben left joe d should have nver let that happen ben wallace deserves nothing less than to have his number up in the palace he is one of the main reasons if not the main reason we sold the palace out on a nightly basis.. didnt yall see all the fros in the crowd??

    Reply
  89. pistons fan

    Ben Wallace=2009 NBA CHAMPS

    Reply
  90. Jw

    YOU ARE DEAD ON..

    Reply
  91. Ronsti

    Ben goes with 30 or 36 to save making new jerseys

    Reply
  92. Ronsti

    I hope he doesn’t give it up

    Reply
  93. Ronsti

    I hope he doesn’t, I hunted for stuckey’s jersey and found one the day before he went for 40 and if he changes numbers I can’t afford another one.

    Reply
  94. Ronsti

    I hope Stuck keeps it, I am a poor teacher and cannot afford to get a new stuck jersey.

    Reply
  95. Ronsti

    No, Iverson ruined the #1

    Reply
  96. Ronsti

    I agree, lets say 36

    Reply
  97. Jenny

    Now all we need is Chauncey Billups back.

    Reply

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