Future Assistant Coach Rasheed Wallace Makes Summer League Cameo in Pistons Garb

Summer league Rasheed Wallace sightings are just the best.

Sheed was in Orlando taking in some exhibition action, sporting some Detroit Pistons gear and a Notre Dame (not Boston Celtics) hat.

Telling? Apparently.

It's no coincidence that he was in the building shortly before the Pistons' summer league crew was slated to take on the Boston Celtics. Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News says Wallace is set to become a part of Detroit's coaching staff.

Per Goodwill, Wallace will mainly be working with the Pistons' bigs, most notably Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. He'll spend some time with rookie Tony Mitchell as well.

Looking at Wallace, the word "coach" doesn't immediately come to mind. Mentoring young players takes patience, something the short-fused Wallace—and all his technicals—isn't known for.

Honing the talents of budding prospects isn't something Wallace is unfamiliar with, though. He's credited with expanding the games of Jermaine O'Neal and Zach Randolph while with the Portland Trail Blazers. Under Wallace's direction, the two eventually developed into All-Stars.

Wallace has also worked with Jason Maxiell, now a free agent. He's no All-Star, but has turned into a player who can be effective in short bursts.

Imagine what he could do with a low-post fixture like Monroe, who is on the cusp of stardom. Or a raw talent like Drummond, who became a draft-day steal for the Pistons this past year. 

Detroit's future success—or ability to trade for Rajon Rondo—is directly related to the progression of the interior tandem they've assembled. It is then befitting that they would bring in a post-up virtuoso like Wallace to work with them. Not to mention Sheed has something to keep himself occupied as he re-enters retirement.

Assuming he sticks to the back-to-the-basket basics, and foregoes the temptation to teach Monroe and Drummond how to draw the most demonstrative of technicals, this is one of those win-win partnerships.

The kind that Monroe and Drummond will inevitably be grateful for later on.

Follow @danfavale