<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheFreshPrince:</div><div class="quote_post">i only mentioned 3 guys off the top of my head from this generation, not all-time. and blocks dont make a great defender. i would take rodman over any other pf/tweener center in the league today defensively, except for kg and duncan. i know he is great at defense, but that doesnt deserve top dollar. from 1999 on these guys are better big man defenders than wallace. KG, Duncan, ZO, Shaq, Dikembe, charles oakley, D Rob, and AK if he counts. so, he is clearly not the best of our generation. i see him as between rodman and oakley all time.</div> First of all Ben Wallace is a center not a power forward. Secondly, if you think his size affects him your crazy. Blocks are a huge part of defense. Rebounds don?t technically make you a good defender. Since you aren?t really defending while getting the rebounds. To me defense is blocks, steals, and the opponents field goal percentage. Out of that list only guys I think actually compare are Rodman and Zo. Shaq has never been a lock down defender. His size simply allows him to get rebounds, and his name gives him defensive first team recognition. Duncan, KG, and Oakley should not even be mentioned in the same breath as Big Ben defensively. Oakly was a good enforcer, but if you think he deserves to be mentioned with Wallace you must have someting against Wallace that is blinding you. I'm gonna this with facts since all both of us have provided thus far is opinion. Here is a defensive rating compiled by 82games.com that proves Ben Wallace is a better defender then the players you have mentioned. http://www.82games.com/rosenbaum3.htm Although, Duncan and KG rank above the defensive power forward ratings. Ben Wallace has an overall rating of 5.8 while KG is 5.2 and Duncan 5.4.
I'd be worried to sign Ben Wallace for this type of deal. He didn't seem as motivated last year, and you always have to wonder how a person responds after they get a max deal. Big Ben has already accomplished everything, personal awards, NBA titles, and now the one thing he doesn't have, a max contract. His production has dropped off the last couple of seasons, and he's a liability on offense. So if he gets his money, is he going to be as hungry for the Bulls like he was in Detroit? Will he also want a bigger role, especially on offense? Will he lose that edge in his game of no longer being underpaid and having a chip on his shoulder. It seemed all the guys in Detroit came together because they were all viewed as uncoachable talents. They liked being in that underdog role, and when they were expected to win this year, they folded.
If the Bulls sign him, I wouldn't worry too much about him fading off because of his huge contract. Scott Skiles will push him and make him work harder than any coach he's had at any level. He won't take a halfass effort out of someone. If he doesn't get the effort he wants, Ben will be sitting the bench or getting traded.
