Ben Wallace, almost able to touch the rim
The Magic and Lakers are set to battle in the Finals starting Thursday, but the big news in the NBA this week is that Cavs center Ben Wallace is mulling retirement. Wait a minute? Didn’t Wallace retire in 2004 or something? Because I sure haven’t heard anything about him the past five years.
Why so hard on Big Ben? Here’s why — he has a year and $14 million left on his contract and wants a buyout if he decides to retire. First of all, no player retiring before their contract expires deserves a buyout, let alone one that signed a four-year, $60 million contract of which he earned about 60 cents. Wallace averaged 2.9 points and 6.4 rebounds last season, and now he wants the Cavs to pay him to go away? Seems like everytime there’s a buyout in the NBA, it’s the player that wants out, so shouldn’t they be paying the team to be let go?
Maybe I’m just bitter about the Raptors signing Hakeem Olajuwon to a four-year contract about 20 years ago and then having him call it quits after one season…
