Rasheed Wallace Ends Retirement, Signs With Lakers?

One of the most controversial players in NBA history is set to make a return to the game of basketball. According to various sources, Rasheed Wallace is set to come out of retirement to join a Los Angeles Lakers team in desperate need of reinforcements.

It is believed that the 37-year-old Wallace will sign shortly after the All-Star break and help boost an anemic Lakers bench that’s among the worse in the league. Wallace played his last professional game when the Lakers defeated the Celtics in the 2010 NBA Finals, announcing his retirement shortly after game 7.

“His days as a starter in this league are gone,” one source said. “I think he knows that, and so do the Lakers.”

The Laker went into the break with a 20-14 record, which is fifth best in the Western Conference. Trailing the LA Clippers by 1½ games in the Pacific standings, it’s clear that Mike Brown and the Lakers front office are poised to make “tweaks” to the current roster.

Perhaps the Lakers are deciding to give Wallace a chance considering Pau Gasol’s days as a Laker are numbered?

That would certainly seem to be the case in most observers’ eyes, including my own. Los Angeles has been involved in various trade rumors with a number of different teams, all which have included the 31-year-old Spaniard as part of the deal.

Some of the potential destinations for Gasol include: Houston, Minnesota and of course, Orlando, although it is believed that a potential deal for Dwight Howard might not be in the Lakers’ best interest at this point.

With Wallace, the Lakers would get a 4-time All-Star who made his bones in this league by playing solid defense with decent shooting-range on the perimeter. “Sheed” apparently made quite an impression with his play in a Pro-Amateur tournament held in North Carolina recently.

The former Bullet/Blazer/Hawk/Piston/Celtic appears to be in great shape these days and will undergo a dedicated workout regimen before joining the team. How will this move play out for a Lakers team looking to establish an identity and develop some sort of chemistry for the second half of the season?