Is Sheed a Bust?

Sheed's best attribute thus far.

Rasheed Wallace is not who we thought he was. While many supporters are still attempting to defend the signing, it's hard to justify. Signed for another two years beyond the current season at over $13 million, Wallace had better refine his game if he hopes to finish out the tenure of his contract with the C's.

Let's dig a little deeper. Granted that Rasheed is not playing as many minutes as he once was in his career, he has done nothing to earn extra burn. He was supposed to cut down on the number of technicals he received, but that hasn't happened. He was supposed to be a three point marksman off of the bench, but that hasn't happened either. Even Wallace's passion for the game has seemed to slip this season as well as he adjusts to his supporting role.

Many people within the organization, the players themselves, and the team's fan base saw Wallace as the answer; he was the missing link to championship # 18. As the first man off of the bench, Wallace was supposed to be a big man capable of stretching the floor. He's shooting 28% from downtown this season. No, that's not a typo. The big man is just 78-279 from beyond the arc. By comparison, Rajon Rondo, who is widely regarded as a non-threat from the perimeter, is shooting at a 22% clip from the three. That six percent margin seems pretty slim.

On top of that, Wallace's defense has been anything but strong. It often seems like he doesn't even care to put the effort out on the defensive end--and the numbers support it. He can't rebound the ball. He can't body up a bigger center without fouling him--and he's certainly not swatting shots left and right. What does this mean for the Celtics? They give up more points with him out on the floor--whether he's in for KG or for Perkins, it doesn't matter. They're simply a worse team when he enters the game.

At 35, patience among Celtics fans is growing thin--much like Sheed's hairline. He's entered the conversation for the worst three-point shooting season ever and, in my opinion, may be the biggest free agent acquisition bust of this past offseason given the length of the contract and the money the team handed to him.

Let's hope he starts to figure it out at the season's most important time.