http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060703/SPORTS03/607030372/1048/SPORTS
Bulls vs. Pistons: Ben has 2 offers
Detroit offers $48M; Chicago starts higher
July 3, 2006
BY KRISTA JAHNKE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
As other NBA free agents came to quick conclusions and signed new contracts over the weekend, Ben Wallace pondered the two deals on his plate and waited to see if others would top it.
The Pistons have offered a four-year deal worth approximately $48 million to keep their defensive-minded center in Detroit. And the Chicago Bulls, who sent coach Scott Skiles and vice president of basketball operations John Paxson to Detroit, have started bidding at closer to $52 million for four seasons.
Wallace is an unrestricted free agent and can verbally agree to a deal at any time, but he can't sign a contract until July 12 at the earliest.
Only four teams -- Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte and Toronto -- have the salary-cap space to target Wallace without arranging a sign-and-trade. Of those, only Chicago has shown real interest to this point.
Any team can try to acquire Wallace through a sign-and-trade, and the Philadelphia 76ers' Web site reported Saturday that the team called his agent, Arn Tellem.
The Pistons, meanwhile, also have placed calls to William Phillips, the Detroit-based agent who represents Sacramento shooting guard Bonzi Wells. Although Wallace is the team's primary concern, Wells also is high on Detroit's summer shopping list.
Wells dominated the Kings' series against San Antonio in the playoffs, a showing that might have raised his worth around the league.
He reportedly wants a deal for five years starting near $8 million a season, a figure the Pistons might not be willing to pay, especially since Wells would come off the bench. But he fits the profile of one of their primary needs -- a scorer who can slash and attack defenses off the dribble.
The Sacramento Bee reported Sunday that general manager Geoff Petrie started the bidding for Wells at something more than the roughly $5-million trade exception. The Denver Nuggets are a
lso high on Wells.
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Well looks like Bonzi is asking for some pretty big bucks.
8 million average? Is that what its saying? If so I think that is pretty dang fair.