http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/b ... index.html

Pistons' Wallace upset about offer
Center is disappointed by Detroit's $49.6 M proposal

Ben Wallace wasn't happy with a Pistons offer that would make him the highest-paid player on the team next season.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Pistons free-agent center Ben Wallace, who also is being courted by the Chicago Bulls, says he's disappointed by Detroit's $49.6 million, four-year contract offer.

The offer would pay $11.5 million the first year and would make him the highest-paid player on the team next season, $100,000 ahead of Rasheed Wallace.

"It was disappointing," Ben Wallace told The Detroit News on Sunday. "It was not at all what I expected."

Joe Dumars, the team's president for basketball operations, declined comment Sunday.

On Friday, Dumars told The Associated Press: "Our top priority is to re-sign Ben. Our goals are the same as they have been for the past five years, and that's to compete for the NBA title."

On Saturday, Wallace met in Michigan with Bulls general manager John Paxson and coach Scott Skiles. Wallace said the meeting was a good one but did not include an official offer.

"The door's not closed" on the Pistons, Wallace said. "I know it's a business and they have to run their business."

Wallace, who turns 32 on Sept. 10, said he is not looking for a deal of more than four years. He said he expects to hear from several other teams, including the Washington Wizards, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers.

That's a lot of money to pay a one-way player.

the bulls are offering ben 52 mil/4yrs

I hope he goes. I hope its a sign and trade and the Pistons take Chandler off their hands.

i heard the knicks are offering 10 years, 100 million.

What makes that so funny is you can't tell if it's a joke or real.

yes you do, and NBA contract cant be 10 years long.

but until i remember that point, i thought it was real.

Jesus, what a spoiled brat. You're going to leave one of the best teams in the league because more than ten mil a year is not enough? Total bullshit.

espn.com is reporting big ben to the bulls.

what will he buy with that extra $2.4 million?

enjoy your moody 32 year old undersized declining skills significantly overpaid center chicago.

please allow me to make this clear


there aint a one of you who wouldnt leave your job right this very second, to go to another job doing the same exact thing, for more money

ben definately is what made the team a success, if not just a shade more than wallace, chaunce and rip. he is what allowed those three and another to gamble on d and create such a defensive team as it was

the pistons were willing to bet they could lowball him, and they lost the bet

12 million a year. Highest offer in Pistons History. Highest Salary on the team.
no offensive skills. I dont think he was lowballed- but i dont blame him for taking the money. Im glad he did.

A company is not the same as a basketball team. To leave a team that has the chance to make the finals every year for a little more money is pretty foolish.

The Bulls have a good young team- he'll do well there...


but not 13 million a year well.


and espnews just had it listed as 4 years.... 60 million.

Please allow ME to make this clear

Once you are making over $10 million there isn't a whole lot that another million will buy you that you couldn't afford before. If one place that I loved to be offered me 10 million and some other place offered me 12 million, I wouldn't leave because I'm "dissapointed" in the offer.

I hate the "you would take the money" argument. If it was some roll player making less than a million and someone else offered 1.5 million, that's a huge difference. For a superstar making this kind of money... different story.

ESPN the channel does report 4 years, $60 million.

thats unreal. he's not one of the top 10 players in the league.

I don't know, I think he is one of the top 10 currently. I just don't know that he will be in 2yrs. I'd be disappointed to see him leave, but I have grown to trust Dumars completely. The Pistons offered a more than fair salary. Sometimes you just have to say goodbye. I wish Big Ben the best. He's been the face of Detroit for some time.