Rasheed

In all likelihood, Rasheed Wallace will play only 5 more games for the Pistons. While his play has often been maddening, I, for one, will be sad to see him leave. While most fans care only about wins and losses, the NBA strives first to entertain. That credo exposes the league open to some widespread criticism (i.e. "superstar treatment"), but, from Jordan to Kobe to Lebron, the league has thrived - especially compared to its fellow secondary sport, hockey.

When viewing entertainment value as the core NBA commodity, Rasheed Wallace is an MVP. From his pre-game dance-a-thon to the bizarre facial grimaces after bad calls to his coining of phrases (this blog's namesake), Rasheed is an eternal wellspring of fantastic and unpredictable entertainment.

And his game aint too shabby either. When he came to Detroit in '04, he was known mostly as an offensive power forward. Yet, paired with Ben Wallace, he became a defensive powerhouse, flying around the court, blocking shots, launching threes, earning T's, and, in general, wreaking havoc. He served as a mentor to the younger players and was viewed as the consummate teammate. The label of "cancer" just didn't seem to fit. Sure, he's had his massive gaffes - none bigger than double-teaming Ginobli during Game 5 of the Finals in '05 that left Horry open for a 3 - but his positive impact will far outweigh the negative. And he's never failed to entertain. He's a true original and will be missed.

And just as a footnote, if Joe D and Rasheed decide to give it another go for '09-'10, I won't complain. Paired with a dominant big man, Sheed could still provide a spark.