Veteran forward comes out of retirement to sign one year non guaranteed contract with the team.
The New York Knicks have added one more veteran to their roster for next season, making the oldest team in the NBA for next season a little bit older. The Knicks reached an agreement with veteran forward Rasheed Wallace for a non
guaranteed contract worth the veteran’s minimum of $1.7 million. Wallace will come out of retirement to play for the Knicks, and last played in the 2009-10 season as a member of the Boston Celtics squad.
The addition of Wallace will give the Knicks roster more experience and playoff pedigree, as they prepare to make a deep playoff run this time around. His role in the team will be one of a backup forward, and Knicks Head Coach
Mike Woodson made his expectations of Wallace clear.
“It's not like we're looking at a player who's going to play a lot of minutes. He's an insurance policy and (a) what-if. If he gets in and plays 5-10 minutes, we've got to hope it's the best 5-10 minutes to help us win basketball
games,” said Woodson.
Woodson has a long standing relationship with Wallace, as he was an assistant to Coach Larry Brown with the Detroit Pistons in the 2003-2004 season, when they won the NBA championship. Wallace was on that Pistons team and had a
crucial role in the Pistons winning the championship. Woodson reached out to Wallace a few months ago and Wallace had been contemplating returning to the league ever since.
"I'm not expecting to come in here to average 25 points. I'm not expecting to come in here to average 35, 40 minutes. I'm not one to complain. I know I'm not the No. 1 guy here. I'm willing to accept my role,” said Wallace after
agreeing to sign with the Knicks.
Wallace did not practice with the team and it is unclear when he will begin participating in training camp. The New York Knicks have added quite a few veterans to their roster this offseason, with 39 year old Jason Kidd, 38 year
old Marcus Camby and 39 year old Kurt Thomas all given contracts to add some experience and playoff pedigree to the team. The Knicks plan of surrounding their core of Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler is complete, but in the process has
made them an older and slower team as compared to other top tier teams in the NBA.
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