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The Bobcats re-signed forward Gerald Wallace, who became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, on Thursday, July 19. The following is the transcript from Wallace's media availability on Friday, July 20:
(Opening statements)
First of all, I want to say that I’m happy to be back here. This is always where I wanted to be. My agent and I talked about the whole free agency process and I’m happy to be back here in Charlotte. I love it here and my family is settled in here. I think we have a great team; we have an opportunity to make the playoffs. With the additions that Mike (Jordan) and everyone made, I think we’re going to have a great shot at being one of the contenders in the Eastern Conference.
(On if he really looked into any other teams)
Yes, but the way that my agent and I approached it was that I really wanted to get things worked out here in Charlotte. There were other teams that were giving me opportunities, but I really wanted it to work out here. I felt like I owed Charlotte something because they were the team that gave me my first opportunity, so I really wanted to stick around here and finish growing with this team.
(On the Bobcats spending money and being loyal to their players)
It’s a great feeling. One thing I can say is that being a free agent is very stressful. It is a great feeling to see that (the Bobcats) still have confidence in me and have loyalty towards their players. To go out and get a guy like Jason Richardson to add to this team shows that they are willing to win and they want to win right now.
(On what the free agency period was like) There were the updates, talking, numbers and everything else, but I told my agent that I didn’t want to be involved in any of it. I told him to call me with the input, I would hear what he had to say and then we would come to some kind of conclusion. I felt that after the 4th of July I was going to have a deal done, but it went a little longer than that. Other than that, it was easy and went smoothly.
(On if there were any better offers)
I don’t think so. If there were better offers, I didn’t want to see them, I wanted things to work out here. We talked to Michael (Jordan) and Bernie (Bickerstaff) as much as we could to try to get things to work out for me here.
(On if there were any other considerations during the free agency period) I’m pretty sure there were. We had a lot of opportunities and there were a lot of teams that we talked to, but when it came down to the end, my main focus was to stay here.
(On if he took a vacation while the negotiations were going on)
No, I just spent a lot of time with my family. The main thing about it was just to relax and not think about it – that is why I pay my agent. I gave him the job and just relaxed with my family.
(On his optimism of the Bobcats being a playoff contender)
I think with the additions that we have coming in this year, we have a great shot at making the playoffs. I felt that we had a great shot at making the playoffs last year. If you take away a couple of injuries from some key guys, we would have been right in the hunt. As long as we can stay healthy, I think we will have a great run this year.
(On the team’s chemistry for next year)
I think this is a group that can work together well. Everybody on this team works together and the main focus is winning. We do whatever we have to do to win. Some nights we are outnumbered, so we need all 15 guys to be a part of this team. I think we do a great job of keeping everybody together.
(On his immediate reactions to the Jason Richardson trade)
I really didn’t find out about it until the next day. I thought that with me on one side of the floor and Jason Richardson on the other, we would be pretty good running the floor now. I never thought about him taking my place or looking for somewhere else to go.
(On if he has spoken to Sam Vincent about a possible role change for him)
No, I haven’t. He has been out of town, so I haven’t been able to talk to him about any of that.
(On the buzz about the team around the city)
I think a lot of the fans that come out and watch us play know how committed we are to winning and how much we want to win every night. I think they have bought into that the last three years. With the additions that the front office has made, it shows that they are willing to bring in players and spend money to help us win. I think the fans are starting to appreciate that much more.
(On Jason Richardson’s game)
I really don’t know much about him. I know he’s athletic and a great scorer. Other than that, he is on the West Coast, so we don’t get an opportunity to see him play that much.
(On if he feels like more of a leader on the team now)
I think so. I feel like I am one of the main characters on the team. Emeka (Okafor), Primoz (Brezec) and I are the only ones remaining from the original season (Matt Carroll joined the team at the end of the first season as well). I think this is more of me and Emeka going through the process of putting this team where the fans and the city of Charlotte want it to be. We feel like it is our duty because we were here when it first got started and was at ground zero.
(On the importance of trying to take the Bobcats to a new level)
It was a major issue for me. Charlotte gave me the opportunity to showcase my skills to the league, and I felt that I owed it to the fans and the city to give them the opportunity to see us in the playoffs and have them excited about us winning a championship. We’re here, we’re improving and our younger guys are starting to turn into veterans and understand the game a lot more. I think this year could be an exciting year for us.
(On how special the re-signing is after the road he took to get here)
I take a lot of satisfaction in that. My years in Sacramento weren’t bad. We were winning 65 games a year, but I wasn’t playing. I had a decision to trade in winning for playing time. I chose to play. The road that I have taken and making it to where I am now has been a blessing from God.
(On if he has spoken to Jason Richardson)
He called me, but I was fishing (laughter). He left a message but I haven’t returned his call yet. Hopefully, I’ll catch up with him soon.
(On how he expects to work with Jason Richardson)
It’s like the Scottie Pippen-Michael Jordan tandem. You can’t guard both of them at the same time. With me, Raymond (Felton) and (Jason Richardson) on the side and Emeka (Okafor) down on the low block, that is four threats that you have to worry about and prepare for each game.
(On the fast break tandem of Felton, Richardson and himself)
That’s a pretty up-tempo group, especially with us having a big like Emeka (Okafor) who can run the floor. It’s definitely going to be an up-tempo game and there are going to be a lot of highlight reels and things like that going on. At the same time, we still have to slow it down and be able to work in a half court offense. We know everybody that we have can run and I think that will be our main focus, but we still want to know how to execute a half-court offense.
(On if he believes that they have enough of an inside presence to be successful)
I think so. If not, we have to do what we did the last three years and make due with what we have. We’re in July, so obviously the organization isn’t done with the signings and bringing in guys that they want to bring in to help us win. As far as right now, I think we’ll be alright.
(On Sam Vincent and his defensive focus)
My main thing is defense. I pride myself on playing defense. I figure that everybody in the league can score, but not a lot of guys can play defense. My main thing is to play on the defensive end and the offensive end will take care of itself.
(On his physical status)
I’m 100 percent, but my body doesn’t look 100 percent. I still have the shoulder injury, but the doctors told me it’s 100 percent and there are no worries about that. If I wanted to, I could have it fixed, but as long as it doesn’t bother me then I’m basically 100 percent and good to go.
(On if he told his agent this was the only place he wanted to be)
We talked about all the teams that had interest and all the possible things that could go on as far as signing-and-trading, trades going on and things happening during the draft. But my main focus when he asked me where I wanted to be – I told him I wanted to be back in Charlotte. So he said okay and that would be our strong point, our main focus as the team that we would mainly work with.
(On if he left the opportunity open for other teams as well)
Basically everything was open. Charlotte is a strong team. They were the one we were pushing hard for, but we had every opportunity open for every team.
(On the what else he’s been up to this summer and if he’s followed what’s happening in the NBA)
NCAA Football 08 just came out, so I’m stuck on that right now. I haven’t really had much time to watch TV, between that and the race between Boston (Red Sox) and New York (Yankees) – I don’t know what’s going on in the NBA right now (laugher). I have both of my top TVs on Red Sox games and the Yankees games (at home), so I’m trying to watch that race and play NCAA 08.
(On if he thinks the Yankees can catch the Red Sox)
I hope not. I’m a Boston Red Sox fan (laughter).
(On if he tries to be a showstopper on the court or if it is just his natural style)
It’s just my natural play. My main thing is that I come out every night and I play to win. I do whatever it takes to help my team win. If I’ve got to go five rows into the stands, then that’s what I’ve got to do to help us get a win. Basically it’s just a love for the game and the way I like to play by just going out and relaxing and having fun.
(On the pressure he might feel this season coming in with the big contract)
I think the only pressure with the team we have now is that a lot of our fans our looking for us to be playoff contenders. So I think that’s our biggest pressure as a team. For me, I don’t feel any pressure, but I’ve got to go out every night and do the same things I’ve been doing since I came here.
(On how much better it makes him feel to have this playoff expectation)
I feel a whole lot better, because it’s one thing to talk about it, but when you look at your team and your teammates and you have that confidence that you’re going to make the playoffs – your confidence gets boosted a whole lot.
(On the fact he’s been to the playoffs before and what he might say to his teammates to help them get their in 2007-08)
I can tell them what it takes to get to the playoffs – that’s winning the games that you’re supposed to win and winning the games that you’re not supposed to win. Also winning close games. The games that we’re in that we have an opportunity to win, those are the games that we have to win. We had a lot of those slip away last year where we had 10- or 15-point leads and we blew them in the fourth quarter. Those are the games that are must-wins for us. And I think we’ve really got to do it if we want to be a playoff-intensive team.
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