Celtics offer Rasheed Wallace a contract, want quick answer

The Boston Celtics are pressing Rasheed Wallace — for a decision, according to the Boston Globe.

The Globe reported that Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce joined president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and managing partner Wyc Grousbeck for a three-hour meeting with Wallace in Detroit yesterday, the Celtics offering a contract using their midlevel exception. But Wallace is apparently in no hurry to respond, preferring to weigh approaches from Charlotte, Cleveland, Orlando, and San Antonio, according to an NBA source.

Bill Strickland, Wallace’s agent, said in a text message that it was a "very good meeting; some contractual terms discussed, nothing agreed to.”

Strickland added Wallace will be "meeting with a few more teams next week.”

Wallace is coming off a five-year contract with the Pistons, earning $13.68 million last season. The teams courting Wallace would be offering the midlevel exception, worth between $5.6 million and $5.8 million. So, Wallace’s choice will be based on other factors, and the Celtics believe they have an advantage because of the forward’s relationship with Garnett and the team’s good chance to compete for a championship, the Globe reported.