AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Ben Wallace says he was very close to retiring before deciding to rejoin the Detroit Pistons.

After three seasons away from Detroit, the four-time All Star signed a free-agent contract Wednesday with the Pistons. Wallace won an NBA title with Detroit in 2004 and went back to the finals in 2005.
In July 2006, he signed a free-agent deal with Chicago, and was traded to Cleveland in 2008. This summer, he was traded to Phoenix in the Shaquille O’Neal trade, only to have his contract bought out by the Suns.
Wallace said he considered retirement, but said that his good memories from Detroit and encouragement from former teammates Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince helped him decide to come back.