Keep Wallace a Bobcat

I feel like this may sound like a broken record, but I decided to go ahead and post these thoughts. There's no doubt a lot of chaos going on in the Bobcats universe, and we certainly have much to think about. The coaching change is keeping us preoccupied, and of course there's  never ending rosterbation, which has recently intensified due to the coaching change. While there's many things floating around in our minds, one of particular interest has been at the forefront for me: Gerald Wallace.

So there's a lot of talk of making trades and tweaking our roaster. Some even suggesting we blow it all to smithereens. And that's just fine. I understand and agree that changes have to be made. That being said, my concern is what becomes of Gerald Wallace


In these uncertain times, some proclaim that no one on this roster is untouchable. I would have to disagree, and even suggest that such thought could be dangerous. I think one of many problems that frequently plagues sports teams is that of continuity. How does one achieve and maintain successful continuity? Well friends, that's best left for another post, but for today's subject at hand, I would argue that Gerald Wallace is the best aspect of continuity that this team has and can have in the upcoming season or two.






Wallace is the Last Original Bobcat. Our first All-Star. The face of this franchise, and a true fan favorite. Is he valuable in a potential trade? Yes, of course. But even if you're rebuilding, you need to maintained a good veteran (a player who is both good on and OFF the court, like Wallace is) around your young core. You need a player to maintain continuity for the team and for the fans. Wallace is that player. He's quite possibly the only Bobcat that casual fans and the general public know about it. The real fan base enjoy seeing Wallace play, and that counts for something too. Across the country, NBA fans recognize Wallace's athleticism and hard work ethics.


Obviously, circumstances would be entirely different if Wallace was not a good player, but that's not the case. He's always been an important component to our team, and he broke through to national attention last year, and had arguably his best season during our first run to the playoffs. With that said, even the most loyal fan would admit that Wallace's output is down when compared to the previous season, but that's okay friends. Such things happen. Wallace still has much to contribute, and if we do enter rebuilding mode, I argue that Wallace would be the perfect veteran, and fan favorite, to maintain around a new, young core.


What's more, I rate Wallace's overall value with things other than statistics. Now stay with me here, friends. Stats are important in sports, there's no doubt about that. Some place to much emphasis on it, but that's a subject for another post. We know what Wallace's stats are. We know what his stats were last season, the season before that, and the seasons way back in Sacramento. There's a trusty thing called Google, after all. I recognize Wallace's stats, and agree that they contribute to his overall value, but I also recognize and admire characteristics that are not represented by cold statistics. You guys know what I'm talking about. Wallace's athleticism. His passion for the game. His passion to his team and his passion for the fans. This is a player who hustles and chases every loose ball. And then of course, there's his defense, something that is not always necessarily well represented by statistics. These are all characteristics that would serve a new young core well. There's much that many can learn from Wallace.





And what of Tyrus Thomas, you say? I feel that Thomas is another important piece to our Bobcats, and that he, along with Wallace, should be kept on. There's no doubt in mind that Thomas will probably see his minutes increase with the coaching change, which is good, because he definitely needs more experience. Thomas is a player with a lot of potential, although still with a lot of raw power. I think both players can coexist without a problem.


I hope the front office keeps Gerald Wallace a Bobcat. I acknowledge his potential trade value, but at this time, there's very little, if any move, that I would be pleased with if it involved Wallace. And that friends, would include any potential blockbuster trades that say, might involve Carmelo.





Just a few rumblings. Sorry for the lengthy post.




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