Wallace "retired" from the NBA in 2010, last playing on the 2010 Boston Celtics team that battled the LA Lakers in the finals. I use the quotes because his numbers were down in his only season with the Celtics and they were going to buy him out. Once the C's bought out his contract, Wallace officially announced his retirement. I don't think he wanted to retire though. I think he only retired because no team wanted him. Well, now it looks like the Knicks want him, but is he a fit in New York?
Wallace was a starter for the majority of his career as his 33.1 career minutes per game stat indicates. His season with the Celtics was the first season he played less than 27.5 mpg. It was also the first time he was used as a reserve, averaging only 22.5 mpg. He still put up decent numbers though. He averaged 9 points per game to go with 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. He struggled at shooting the 3 though, an area he usually excelled at. He shot a mere 28% from downtown in 2010 compared to a 34% career average. But in the playoffs he pulled the old switch-a-roo, his minutes, points, rebounds, assists, and steals were down while is 3-pt percentage rose. He shot 35% from behind the arc during the playoffs in only 17.1 mpg. He only averaged 6.1 ppg, and 3 rpg. As for assists and steals, his numbers didn't top 0.5 in the postseason (0.4 for each). He still performed admirably for a 35-year old against a Laker team with much younger big men, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom.
Right now the Knicks list Kurt Thomas as the backup to starting power forward Amare Stoudamire. Thomas is two years old than Wallace, but is not attempting to come out of retirement. He has played decent minutes for the Blazers last season and around the same as Wallace for the Bulls the year before that. Overall Thomas has logged much less floor time than Wallace over the course of his career. While Wallace averaged 33.1 mpg for his career, Thomas has surpassed that only twice in a season, both times coming in his last go around with the Knicks. Thomas is also two inches shorter than Wallace and not a three to shoot the 3. In eight less average minutes, Thomas' numbers are roughly half of Wallace's, which is a normal start-to-bench player stat differential.
While adding Rasheed Wallace would be interesting, I think Kurt Thomas is still a better option for the Knicks. I like Wallace's ability more, but Thomas is the better fit. He is more used to the reserve role, somewhat making a career out of it, and has been playing consistent reserve minutes since he entered the league nearly 20 years ago. Wallace has also been known to cause locker room problems. Upon hearing the news that the Knicks might get Wallace, I immediately texted my former college roommate who is a die hard Knicks fan. The first thing he mentioned was that he was worried about Wallace messing up the locker room, so that is definitely a factor. Fans would love screaming "SHEEEED" during games, but sorry Knicks fans, I just don't see Sheed as a New York Knicks.
References
https://twitter.com/Knicksanalyst
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rasheed_Wallace#Boston_Celtics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_NBA_Finals
http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/846/kurt-thomas
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