cockyhoskins
12-13-2007, 05:59 PM
Brandon Wallace doesn’t deny that he harbors at least a small amount of regret about the position of his parent team - the Celtics (http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/index.bg) [team stats (http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&page=nba/teams/092/team.aspx?id=092)] - and the team he actually played for during the past month while the Green built the best record in the NBA.
The Utah Flash, like every other team in the Development League, is rudimentary. The Celtics want to see the rookie from South Carolina developed as a small forward, so that’s where the Flash played Wallace.
Now that Wallace is back in Boston for two weeks while recovering from a carpal injury to his right wrist, time is working against him. The Celtics have until next Thursday to decide whether to keep him, a move that would guarantee Wallace’s contract for the rest of the season.
The problem is that Wallace, whose injury happened just before director of basketball operations Danny Ainge (http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?keyword=Danny+Ainge&searchSite=recent) flew to Utah to watch him and fellow rookie Gabe Pruitt play, is unable to further influence the outcome.
“It probably would not have (an effect) on our decision right now, anyway,” said Ainge, who is holding out in the event the team has to make another move, such bringing in another big man. “But I still like Brandon. The problem is that I’d like to keep 20 guys. There’s a lot of good players out there right now, but there’s no problem with having him here right now.”
In other words, Wallace already has made his case to stay.
“The thing with Brandon is that he’s a player in transition, making a big change to how he plays,” Ainge said. “He’s gone from a college center trying to play the 3, and that takes time. And I just don’t know what to do yet (with the roster) while they’re out there developing him as a 3.”
It helps that Wallace doesn’t mind the back-and-forth nature of minor league basketball.
“It’s good to see the guys right now,” he said. “Unfortunately, I hurt my wrist.”
But not before his Utah and Celtics coaches alike discovered that Wallace, who played center his entire Gamecocks career, indeed can play small forward. He also has the tough defensive requirements at that position.
“It is what you make of it,” Wallace said of his NBDL experience. “If you go out and play well, then it’s a good experience. And all I’ve seen is progress out there.”
Even if the progress back across the country is huge.
“I’ve missed it a little bit,” he said of the Celtics. “But I knew that I had to deal with the cause of depth, and this team has a lot. But I’ve been enjoying myself (in Utah).”
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1050533
The Utah Flash, like every other team in the Development League, is rudimentary. The Celtics want to see the rookie from South Carolina developed as a small forward, so that’s where the Flash played Wallace.
Now that Wallace is back in Boston for two weeks while recovering from a carpal injury to his right wrist, time is working against him. The Celtics have until next Thursday to decide whether to keep him, a move that would guarantee Wallace’s contract for the rest of the season.
The problem is that Wallace, whose injury happened just before director of basketball operations Danny Ainge (http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?keyword=Danny+Ainge&searchSite=recent) flew to Utah to watch him and fellow rookie Gabe Pruitt play, is unable to further influence the outcome.
“It probably would not have (an effect) on our decision right now, anyway,” said Ainge, who is holding out in the event the team has to make another move, such bringing in another big man. “But I still like Brandon. The problem is that I’d like to keep 20 guys. There’s a lot of good players out there right now, but there’s no problem with having him here right now.”
In other words, Wallace already has made his case to stay.
“The thing with Brandon is that he’s a player in transition, making a big change to how he plays,” Ainge said. “He’s gone from a college center trying to play the 3, and that takes time. And I just don’t know what to do yet (with the roster) while they’re out there developing him as a 3.”
It helps that Wallace doesn’t mind the back-and-forth nature of minor league basketball.
“It’s good to see the guys right now,” he said. “Unfortunately, I hurt my wrist.”
But not before his Utah and Celtics coaches alike discovered that Wallace, who played center his entire Gamecocks career, indeed can play small forward. He also has the tough defensive requirements at that position.
“It is what you make of it,” Wallace said of his NBDL experience. “If you go out and play well, then it’s a good experience. And all I’ve seen is progress out there.”
Even if the progress back across the country is huge.
“I’ve missed it a little bit,” he said of the Celtics. “But I knew that I had to deal with the cause of depth, and this team has a lot. But I’ve been enjoying myself (in Utah).”
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1050533