It's time. It's past time. Who didn't think he should have been gone two years ago when the Pistons melted down in Cleveland? Or last year when Joe Dumars promised changes to the core of the team?

Don't let the screen door hit you big fella. You are welcome back some day when they put that jersey up in the rafters to help celebrate that 2004 title and the six consecutive trips to the Eastern Conference finals.

Checking out early

Right now, we see Friday, when Wallace quickly picked up three fouls and a technical foul in the first half, and the Cleveland Cavaliers hung out until LeBron James flipped his switch.

Cleveland leads 3-0, and the sweep is scheduled for today at 3:30 p.m.

"He just hasn't played great in the series yet," Pistons coach Michael Curry said of Wallace. "And we're used to him playing great, and need him playing great. But you know, hopefully he can have his best game of the series today. And if he does have a great game, we have a really good chance of winning and then we can go from there."

It's no go folks.

As much as the Pistons missed Chauncey Billups this year, and received so little beyond the pending salary cap relief in the Allen Iverson experiment gone wrong, Wallace is not worth the bother anymore.

Sure, he has a strong personality that tends to stand out.

But while he sets the personality of the team, he doesn't do other things like Billups. He doesn't want the ball in the fourth quarter. He doesn't take the team on his shoulders. He leads only when he feels like it.

He also leads cheers when he feels like it, but lately little else beyond a 3-point shot or two.

On Friday night when it would have seemed most Piston-like to put up a fight, Wallace had this statistics line at halftime: 1-of-4 shooting, one defensive rebound, two points, three personal fouls and zeroes.

His sore calf taped, his face defiant, Wallace, 34 and in his 14th season, played a game that showed he doesn't have much left.

This is not to suggest he be tarred and feathered.

Guaransheeds end

He did his share often to be certain, though two years ago it was clear he was worn at the end. The guaransheeds didn't come anymore, and that would have been the time to move him.

Dumars can just let him and his expiring contract go now. Spend the money left over on the future, not hanging on to the past. That was what the Billups trade started. Wallace probably should have been the start, and he must be the next step.

It's beyond time to change the team and the personality. Detroit was left with a team devoid of its leader, and yet hanging on to the same personality. Just personality gets you this: Front row at the LeBron James show.