There’s some good news and some bad news for Gerald Wallace.
The good news is that his game has never really been predicated on his ability to shoot the ball, so there are other aspects in which he can help the Brooklyn Nets win. The bad news is that his shooting has been so putrid in recent weeks, that he negatively affects the spacing on the floor and therefore has became an offensive liability.
The Nets signed Wallace to a 4-year $40 million contract this past summer, and according to the NY Post, they’ve had to reduce his minutes due to him shooting 14.9 percent from 3-point range and 19.4 percent from anywhere outside 10 feet of the rim in the past 22 games.
Wallace, has basically stopped shooting, and says that he’s doing that so he can stay on the floor.
“My confidence is totally gone,” Wallace told The Post Saturday. “I’m just at the point now … I’m in a situation where I feel like if I miss, I’m going to get pulled out of the game, you know what I’m saying? So my whole concept is just that you can’t come out of the game if you’re not missing shots.
“I think I lost the confidence of the coaching staff and my teammates. So my main thing is those guys can score, so instead of thinking about it so much, just trying to focus on defense, try to move the ball and get those guys shots.”
The Nets forward, who has seen his shooting percentage drop from 43.2 percent to 33.8 percent since the All-Star break, says he’s been working hard to correct the issue but there’s been no improvement.
“I’ve been working and I’ve been shooting, but it’s hard,” Wallace said. “Regardless of how much work I’m doing on my shot, the fact of the matter is it is what it is.
“I’ve been in the league 12 years. Am I mad about not being out on the court? Am I mad about not making shots? Yeah. But my main thing is I’m trying to stay on the court. I know I can play defense, make plays for the other guys and try to do some things to help me stay on the court.”
Wallace has the right attitude as far as, being able to identify that there are other ways for him to help the team win games. The Nets currently sit in the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference standings and will be looking to make some noise in the playoffs, they’ll be hoping Wallace finds his confidence by then.