Aug. 6, 1999
SportsLine wire reports

NEW YORK -- John Wallace, a fan favorite with the Knicks during the 1996-97 season, rejoined the Eastern Conference champions Friday under a three-year contract worth $6.4 million.

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"It wasn't so much of a money issue coming back here, I wanted to be in position to win," said Wallace, who spent the past two seasons with the Toronto Raptors. "It's a first-class organization, and I wanted to be back involved with that."

Wallace was traded by the Knicks in the fall of 1997 in a three-way deal that brought Chris Dudley to New York.

He averaged 14.0 points and 4.5 rebounds during his first season in Toronto, then saw his playing time cut last season as he averaged 9.5 points and 3.6 rebounds.

The Knicks had a need for another low-post player and a 3-point shooting specialist, yet they went after Wallace thinking he was the best all-around player left on the market.

"We said always in our free agent deliberations that it wasn't necessarily about position as it was about quality," player personnel director Ed Tapscott said.

Coach Jeff Van Gundy said three of the Knicks' top four free agent choices were in their mid to late-30s, with Wallace the exception.

The Knicks will use Wallace primarily as a backup small forward, with no promises of how much playing time he will get.

Wallace said he's be happy to earn whatever minutes he could through hard work. He also sounded delighted to be returning to the team that drafted him 18th overall in 1996.

"Watching them on TV in the Finals I hoped they would win, but I wished I was there at the same time," said Wallace, who signed under the $2 million middle-class exception.