Please give me one good reason to trade Shaq? How do you get enough back for the Monster?

Journeyman · Jun 21, 2004

No matter what you get in return for Shaquille O'Neal it more than likely not going to be enough...and when you think about it, SHAQ'S value is much greater than anyone really realizes...I will give a strong exmaple;

Lakers vs Dallas Mavericks

Lakers were favored to win the NBA Finals with Shaq and no bench whatsoever

Dallas Mavericks a team with Finley, Nash, Dirk, and a MUCH BETTER BENCH than the Lakers ,but they could only manage to be a 5th seeded team?

Shaq will make the Lakers pay, if they are smart they will get a coach in there and keep the big two together...the only arguement is that Shaq is getting some age on him, but LA is a team that was favored to win the NBA Championship....why not just tinker with what they have? and who's to say what may have happened had LA been injury free in the finals...TRADING SHAQ WILL BE A HUGE MISTAKE!

And where do you trade him anyway? You can't trade him to the West...this is not happening!

Dante · Jun 21, 2004

I agree....Just ask the MAGIC....

when they let the big guy go they sucked SHIT for YEARS and are still sucking shit

Journeyman · Jun 21, 2004

Dante- with Shaq LA has a chance to win for the next 3-4 years without him they could be championshipless for 2 decades...You never know when the well will run dry...Look at Boston even, they can't find it anymore...L.A. does have the marquee value no other NBA team enjoys but still, we're talking about a legend.

Shaq is a legend when its all said and done, the big goon can't shoot foul shots but he is what he is...and no one can stop him, even playing 50 lbs heavy.

I would never trade him...

SubZaero · Jun 21, 2004

Best you can do (and I agree, not good enough) YAO MING.

RobFunk · Jun 21, 2004

come on man you know better than this. .

shaq and kobe cant play together. their salarys are too much and they both complain about who gets how many shots.

so. . .

shaq is older and has maybe a few good years left.

kobe is one of the young brilliant shooting gaurds in the game.

you lose shaq, re-sign kobe and at least get something out of the whole thing.

if you dont trade shaq, you lose kobe and the lakers look like the shaq/orlando team with scott skiles that was .500

at least with kobe, you have a guy who is top 3 at his position who can play 10 more years to build back around.

MadCapper · Jun 21, 2004

Get Jermaine and Harrington to the lakers and Shaq to the Pacers.

Railbird · Jun 21, 2004

Kupchak is a moron.

Kobe is a streak shooter that rarely gets hot, and has a very low basketball iq.

If they trade Shaq they wont be a 500 team. Shaq took Orlando to the finals single handidly, and is 3 times the player he is now than then.

Next stupid move Kupchak will make is he will hire a yes man who cant coach a lick in Micheal cooper.

Journeyman · Jun 21, 2004

You think Indiana will do that? I still say its not enough...

O'Neal is one of a kind, you can start over from scratch and tried to rebuild, but it would be easier to just keep him and try to win with him the next 3-4 years...The Lakers were exposed , mainly because of Payton (who was a joke) and no bench when Malone went down...they need to just bring in a guy who can shoot from the outside and some younger players who will play some defense...Keep Kobe and Shaq and they will be right at the top for the next 3-4 years with a chance to win.

Journeyman · Jun 21, 2004

Jerry West was the genius...Kupchak is not West..

I agree with Birdman.

RobFunk · Jun 21, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Shaq took Orlando to the finals single handidly, and is 3 times the player he is now than then. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I cant even believe you of all people just said that. orlando was never any good until they got penny, ho grant not to mention nick anderson and dennis scott though the later two were role players more than anything.

and shaq and kobe together did nothing until phil jackson arrived, he is the reason he appeared to be '3 times' better.

Journeyman · Jun 21, 2004

Robbie...those other players were good, but was it a coincidence they all seemed to fade quickly? Maybe more to it than I realized...it seemed none fulfilled their potential or was it just Shaq?

RobFunk · Jun 21, 2004

no you are right they faded quick. ho won 3 titles with the bulls before he got there. nick was kind of old when shaq left, dennis was too one dimensional, and penny kept getting hurt even though he still plays.

ever see the movie blue chips? with shaq and penny and nick nolte i think

HacheMan · Jun 21, 2004

Nick Anderson was the teams first draft pick and was actually one of the better guards for a while in the league. He was one of the better post up guards there was at the time. Dennis Scott could drain from anywhere on the court but his weight was a problem also. Penny, well, was a top 3-5 player at one time until his knee problems started. Anyone remember the playoff series against Chicago when Penny made Pippen and Jordan look foolish when they tried guarding him? Back to back 40+ games if I remember right. Horace was supposed to be the final piece, and it looked like they were on their way until Nick Anderson missed those 4 free throws at the end of Game 1 Finals against Houston to put it away. After Kenny Smith hit that ridiculous 3 to tie it and eventually win it, the Magic just couldn't rebound from that breakdown.Many think Hakeem dominated Shaq in that series, but Shaq had just as good of numbers. Matter of fact, here's a writeup guys of that Game #1 Finals Houston Vs. Orlando......

In their first Finals appearance, the Magic started out hot as they jumped to a 20-7 lead behind 11 points from Penny Hardaway. The lead was built behind 11 straight Orlando points as Houston missed 6 straight shots at one point. In the 1st quarter, Horace Grant outrebounded the entire Rocket team, 9-8. If not for Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston may have been run out of the building. Olajuwon hit 4 of 7 shots while the rest of the team made only 3 of 15 shots. The lead continued to expand as Nick Anderson scored 13 points in the 2nd quarter. Orlando would lead 57-37 at one point in the 2nd period despite 15 points from Clyde Drexler for the Rockets. Olajuwon picked up his 3rd personal foul in the 2nd quarter, as their cause grew bleaker. Houston came out in 3rd period like gangbusters as Kenny Smith made 5 3-pointers in the period. Houston went on a 19-8 run to tie the game at 69 on a Mario Elie trey. An acrobatic Drexler layup gave the Rockets their 1st lead at 71-69 with 5:28 left in the 3rd. The Magic came back strong in the 4th quarter after Houston went up by 9 as Shaquille O’Neal scored 12 points and pulled down 5 boards in the period. Orlando had numerous chances to clinch the game but couldn’t convert. They missed 6 free throws in the 4th and made only 1 of their final 6 field goals. Nick Anderson was the main culprit as he missed 4 straight free throws in the final 10.5 seconds. Kenny Smith then drained a long 3 to tie the game with 1.6 seconds left. Robert Horry opened the OT with back-to-back 3’s and Houston never trailed again. A Horry steal from O’Neal with Houston leading by 3 with 0:46 left was a key play. Orlando did tie the game on a Dennis Scott 3-pointer with 0:05 left but Houston ran down the clock and Olajuwon tipped in a Drexler miss with 0:00.3 left to give Houston the win. O’Neal did not score in the extra session as Orlando continued to fire away from outside. Horry and Smith combined for 34 2nd half points.

CaPPiNgTiGeRz · Jun 21, 2004

Shaq has always been the heart and soul of the Lakers ever since he arrived there ,and that is something Kobe knows nothing about (Heart and Soul). Kobe is a "i,me" type man and would so much like to consider himself in the same light as a guy named "Jordan" and isn't on his best day even close, and not just on the court. It's a shame when a player like Shaq can even be considered a trade option because he doesnt get along with a guy who has a serious "Ego" problem. The success that Kobe seen early on was because of Shaq and you would think his ignorant ass would be thankfull.

Guys like Kobe Bryant are whats wrong with the NBA the last few years and are starting to make the game not worth watching anymore. I hope the Lakers trade Shaq and where makes little difference , then lets see how Kobe likes playing without the big man. But i doubt the lakers winning or losing ever bother Kobe as long as he is being interviewed first and has some headlines in the paper and stat sheets. This guy isn't just a selfish Moron and an asshole, he's probably a criminal to boot.

Lakers owe there sucess to Phil and Shaq far more than they ever will to Kobe and that why these guys are being exited out of LA. Just a shame that the laker front office people cant see the writing on the wall. But all good things come to an end and im sure KOBE is real proud of himself now.

Kamikaze1 · Jun 21, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Kobe is a "i,me" type man and would so much like to consider himself in the same light as a guy named "Jordan" and isn't on his best day even close, and not just on the court. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
This is so true. Everything the guy says, the way he walks, how he sits and the way he addresses press conferences-all he tries to do is be an image of somone he wishes to be hopes to become-ALL BECAUSE THEY COMPARED HIM TO THE GUY SO MUCH WHEN HE LEPT TO THE NBA-only difference is- THERE IS NO "I" IN TEAM

Journeyman · Jun 21, 2004

Hache - I abosultely loved that Rockets team...it was my crowning moment as an NBA fan to see Drexler get his well deserved ring, The Dream was simply spectacular...gives me chills remembering back to that series.

RobFunk · Jun 21, 2004

kobe sucks i am the biggest kobe hater out there. when i say what i said above just stating what makes most sense to LA. 32 yr old big man 1-3 yrs or scoring machine shooting gaurd for 10 years. what sells more tickets in the long haul. its all about $$. trust me when i tell you buss is pissed LA couldnt bring it home for more money in games 6 and 7.. .kobe gives LA a chance to have a long term stable superstar, they havent really had this since magic and kareem

wilheim · Jun 21, 2004

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua – (PRESS RELEASE) -- It seems that THERE'S TROUBLE ON THE HARDWOOD as the war of words escalates in Inglewood, California! Seven-foot-six shooter Shaquille O'Neal has drawn his pistol and taken a pot shot at ex-coach Phil Jackson as he rides off into the sunset. Bad boy Kobe Bryant has swung open the saloon bar doors and led his horse to the Free Agency trough. Surely Jack Nicholson couldn't be the Director of such a dramatic Western scene?

Who goes? Who stays?

"At Intertops.com we will sit and watch the action unfold," said Michael Maerz, Chief Bet Manager at Intertops.com, "but you can bet on the outcome of this 'Pistols at Ten Paces' Showdown!"

"We are offering our customers some unique NBA bet offers including 'Drama in Hollywood: What will happen?' and 'Will the Lakers make the Playoffs?' Take a shot yourself with Intertops.com as we are giving you ALL the action and much more."

Drama in Hollywood: What will happen?

Kobe returns & Shaq leaves the Lakers 1/1

Both Shaq & Kobe return to play for the Lakers 7/4

Shaq returns & Kobe leaves the Lakers 5/2

Both Shaq & Kobe leave the Lakers 5/1

Drama in Hollywood: Will the Lakers make the playoffs?

YES 1/5

NO 7/2

Journeyman · Jun 21, 2004

They will be back...all will settle, and reality will set in, they need each other...Man, why can't these players just get along?

They both leave they may never win again...Shaq will be another Bob Lanier the rest of his NBA days...and Kobe will be just another NBA scoring champion...

Bring Rudy in and get their heads straight...one thing is for sure Kobe will never be mentioned as the next MJ again after that Finals showing.

vinividivinci · Jun 21, 2004

I don't think anyone would be stupid enough to do it (well, maybe Mark Cuban) but I would try to trade Shaq for two years worth of draft picks. Any player who does not care to be a part of the team needs to be a part of another team.

If cancer in humans was this easy to cure it would be viewed as a miracle of modern science. With the Lakers it looks like there may be a chance they bring back both iritants (assuming no jail time) for one more year.

Dr. Buss should have paid more attention in school.

VVV