Gerald Wallace vents again over bench role, calls season a "slap in the face"

The Celtics never wanted Gerald Wallace in their trade with the Nets. Gerald Wallace never wanted to go to the rebuilding Celtics. He was included in the Pierce/KG trade to make contracts match. Most likely one or two of the three 1st round draft picks the Celtics obtained in the trade were due to them taking on Wallace's three remaining years at $10 million per. Prior to this season, Wallace was on everyone's worst contract list. Based on his play this 1st half of the season, he's only moving up the rankings. Wallace hates to lose and he has had tirades in every city he has played for when the team is losing. You just knew that after loss, after loss, after loss, after... you get the point, that Volcano Wallace was getting ready to erupt again. Here's his latest via the Boston Herald:

"You’re sitting, only playing 17 or 18 minutes a game,” Wallace said. “You’re watching, you know you can still play, and you watch guys in front of you who don’t play with effort, don’t respect the game and don’t think team first. It kind of frustrates you and (ticks) you off. You have to deal with it.”

“This season is a slap in the face, having to change my game and fine-tune it,” he said. “First of all, it has to come mentally. You accept your situation, but there’s two sides to your brain. One side is fighting the other side because of the predicament you’re in. You feel you can still perform at the level you always have, but at the same time, you’re doubting yourself.”

If the Celtics had gotten Wallace a few years ago when he was still in his athletic prime and the team was winning, fans would have loved him. It's just bad circumstances. He's not the type of player you want if you're rebuilding. He's a bit out of touch with his limitations, but I don't think he's a "bad guy" per say. The thing with Wallace is he doesn't filter his thoughts to the media. He's sort of like Perk that way. A "no comment" would go a long way for Wallace.

The most common comment we hear from fans on here, and our Facebook and Twitter regarding Wallace is to "trade his ass." It's not happening. No one wants him and no one will want him in the future. His contract is poison. I suggested immediately after the Nets trade that maybe we could move him to the Knicks for Amar'e to get the hideous contract off our books one year sooner, but it's unknown whether either the Knicks or Celtics are interested in such a deal. My guess is the Knicks aren't and they're looking forward to Amar'e coming off the books in a year or trading his expiring contract before then.

Another option is to waive Wallace and use the stretch provision, which I'm 100% against. I want his salary off the books sooner rather than later. Don't want to still be paying Wallace in 2018.

A third option is that the Celtics and Wallace could agree to a buy-out at some point, but Wallace's agent would never let him walk away without the majority of the contract guaranteed. He's not going to make up any of it as a free agent (above prorated vet minimum pay of course), and the Celtics are better off just holding onto the contract then let's say paying him 23 of the 26 million left on his contract. I'm also pretty sure it is against the CBA to buy him out for that much.

Come the Summer of 2015, while he won't have any value as an expiring contract, he will at least be able to be moved. Get used to his mug until then. And Gerald, you might want to practice saying "No Comment." It will make life a lot easier for you and the team.

Related: Investigating some ways the Celtics could trade/dump Gerald Wallace
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