Shaq trade done, Movin' to Miami.

[Deattribution]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1839693

MIAMI -- The Big Diesel has gone coast to coast.


The Lakers and Heat finalized a trade Wednesday sending Shaquille O'Neal to Miami, with Los Angeles getting Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and a first-round draft pick in return.


The deal, ending O'Neal's eight-year tenure in Los Angeles, had been on the verge of completion since Saturday, when O'Neal met in Orlando with Heat president Pat Riley and agreed to the trade. NBA attorneys approved it on the same day the league's two-week moratorium on player movement ended.


Acquiring O'Neal is literally a big deal for the Heat, who will count on the 7-foot-1, 340-pound center to transform them into a championship contender.


"I never imagined that we would acquire Shaquille O'Neal," guard Eddie Jones said. "It's once-in-a-lifetime trying to get a player like this guy. It's an unbelievable, unbelievable move."


At 32, O'Neal is coming off a season when he averaged a career-low 21.5 points, and he has missed 15 games each of the past three seasons with foot and leg injuries. But he's an 11-time All-Star with career averages of 27.1 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks, and he changes the balance of power in the Eastern Conference, where there's a dearth of dominating centers.


The trade marks a return to Florida for O'Neal, who began his NBA career in 1992 with Orlando and still has a home there. He led the Magic to the finals in 1995, signed with the Lakers as a free agent in 1996 and helped them win three NBA titles.


Days after the Lakers lost this year's championship series to Detroit, O'Neal demanded to be traded, weary of feuding with Kobe Bryant and feeling disrespected by owner Jerry Buss. He's under contract for $27.7 million this coming season and $30.6 million in 2005-06.


O'Neal joins a Heat team that has reached the conference finals only once in its 16-year history and went 42-40 last season, instantly becoming South Florida's most high-profile athlete.


With the departure of three starters, Riley will build his team around O'Neal, Olympian Dwyane Wade and Jones, Miami's leading scorer each of the last four seasons. The Heat will now shop for help at both forward positions and backup point guard, and free agents will likely consider Miami a more appealing option with the addition of O'Neal.


"Everybody wants to be here now," said Jones, who played with O'Neal in Los Angeles from 1996 to 1998.


Each player involved in the trade must pass a physical before joining his new team. O'Neal is not expected to speak publicly until at least Friday, the Heat said.


O'Neal has already made an impact in Miami, with the Heat's ticket sales brisk this week. He's moving from one city enthralled by celebrities to another, but there are a lot more of them in Los Angeles than in Miami, and O'Neal is likely to become the biggest thing on South Beach.


"There's a lot of excitement going around in the city," Heat guard Rasual Butler said. "They call Shaquille O'Neal 'Big Daddy' for a reason -- because everything he does is big. And it's big news that he's coming here."



Should be interesting to see what the Lakers can do next year without him, and what the Heat do with him.

[SonyLuang]

I just updated the trade for my rosters for my NBA LIVE 2004. :-)

[cthomer5000]

I really hope Bill Simmons is right and Shaq pulls an Uma Thurman in 'Kill Bill.'

[Kodos]

Now if we can just get Kobe to leave too....

[Daimyo]

Hmmm... Shaq gone from the Lakers and the Knicks in Isiah Thomas hell... the NBA might be fun again!

[duckman]

Hmmm... Shaq gone from the Lakers and the Knicks in Isiah Thomas hell... the NBA might be fun again!
You are a sick sick man. And we love you for it. :)

[Tex Schramm]

I honestly think Miami is worse off after this deal...IMO they would have been better off building on the good young talent core they had already. Even if Shaq remains a force in the paint, I don't think that's a championship-caliber roster. But, ticket sales are the bottom line, and theirs have definitely skyrocketed...

It's a rare deal where, IMO, both teams are worse off as a result. Long-term, I think the Lakers are better off, but they also have all their cap space tied up for the next 3 years (at least, assuming they sign Kobe).

[Danny]

There's no question the Lakers should be a weaker team this season than last. But, I also don't get some people's love for the Heat in this deal. I'm sorry, but Miami's supporting cast around Shaq is definitely weaker than it was in LA last season when the Lakers didn't win the championship. And what will the heat have in 3 years?

I'm actually excited and saddened as a Lakers fan. I don't think they would have gotten back to the finals next year even if they did retain Kobe and Shaq, but as a fan you kind of want to hold on and hope they keep the dynasty up. They should be a more exciting team to watch and they actually have a couple young guys with some talent in Butler and especially Odom. If the Lakers can get some players at the 4 and 5 spot, they could still be a solid playoff team in the west. Will they beat Minnesota or San Antonio? Highly doubtful, but the bottom line is I don't believe they would have won a championship even with Shaq this season.

[judicial clerk]

In Shaq's interview (i believe with ESPN) he says that the way the Lakers handled shipping him out of town was disrespectful to him. I don't get this because he demanded a trade. Why doesn't he appreciate the lakers fulfilling his request to be traded?

He says that the Lakers didn't communicate with him like men. Then the interviewer asks Shaq when was the last time he talked to Buss. First Shaq says "never" then he says that after the finals Buss came in and put his hand on Shaq's shoulder and said something, but Shaq wasn't paying attention. Shaq then says heis just a worker who doesn't brown nose and rub elbows with management. Does this guy want a high level of communication or not. Shaq's statements remind me of that quote form dumb & Dumber (which is somebody's sig) "She eventually broke up with me. She said I didn't pay enough attention to her or something, I wasn't really listening."

[hhiipp]

Shaq always tries to make it seem as though he is the 'victim' of any situation. Just another case of an overpaid crybaby.

[MrBug708]

Shaq's a baby and he's going to learn that Wade is no Kobe. Of course, Shaq should set career highs in everything because the East has no one to stop him. But then again, he won't play hard every night nor will he care all that much to keep in shape. Shaq's never won without Kobe and needs to prove that he can win without Kobe. Kobe has never had the chance to play without Shaq, so all he needs is one title in the next 10 years and suddenly, he was the driving force behind the Lakers.

[Noop]

Shaq's a baby and he's going to learn that Wade is no Kobe. Of course, Shaq should set career highs in everything because the East has no one to stop him. But then again, he won't play hard every night nor will he care all that much to keep in shape. Shaq's never won without Kobe and needs to prove that he can win without Kobe. Kobe has never had the chance to play without Shaq, so all he needs is one title in the next 10 years and suddenly, he was the driving force behind the Lakers.
Talk about it.... wow you changed fast...

[hhiipp]

What is really lost in all of this, Kobe might not even be a free man next season, he could be spending some quality time in prison. This whole time ESPN has been playing it up like everything happening in LA revolves around Kobe, which it might, but they sure are investing a lot of time/money into a guy that they can't be certain will even put on any uniform but an orange one.

[Ksyrup]

From what I've read, including a new article about how some of his statements from the point where he was required to go the hospital until the conclusion of the exam (including the results of the exam, if I read that right) will be excluded from the trial, I don't think he'll be convicted. It sucks for sports in general that there is this huge feeding frenzy over the most "desireable" basketball player who just happens to be up on rape charges, but I'm sure theses teams have consulted with criminal defense attorneys and gotten an opinion as to the likelihood that he will be convicted.

Given the relative success of the Lakers and Clippers, my guess is the result of his criminal trial will hinge on who he picks - Lakers, he walks; Clippers, he is convicted.

[MrBug708]

Talk about it.... wow you changed fast...

Not really. Shaq's no longer a Laker and I could careless about people who aren't Lakers. Shaq's best statistical year and probably one of the best seasons ever in recent memory was his rookie year. He was a Center in a PF's body which made him VERY dangerous.

*waits for Neuq's rebuttal*

[Arles]

Another thing to remember is that any team that signs Kobe will get much of that money back if he's convicted. Let's say LA signs him at the end of the month. If he is convicted in September, a morales clause kicks in which states the Lakers (or Clippers) no longer owe Kobe a penny after this season. This means that the $15-$20 mil comes off the books going into the next offseason.

So, from a legal standpoint, signing Kobe is a pretty low risk. All you would lose is that first season's salary. And, in midseason, it's doubtful you could find someone to pay that to anyway.

[Ksyrup]

Is there even a remote possibility of him NOT signing with the Lakers? I posted in the free agent thread that this reminds me of The Batchelor - I'm wondering if, like on that show, the choice was already made early on and the show is just a front to make it look like their was another real option.

Of course, in this case, I'm not sure what benefit there is for Kobe to be pretending that he is considering another team.

[MrBug708]

Sure. Everyone assumes Kobe will sign with the Lakers for the money, but if Kobe is exonerated, he'll get his endorsements back and that will be just as much money back if he signs with the Clippers. When you think of the Bulls, you think of Jordan. When you think of the Lakers, you will never think just Kobe Bryant. That's why I think he could end up with the Clippers. How much of a legacy will you leave if you can take the Clippers, of all teams, to a Championship?

[hhiipp]

With Shaq gone Kobe will most likely re-sign with the Lakers within the next 2-3 weeks as soon as he can see that the other teams aren't willing to throw as much $$ as LA is.

[heybrad]

With Shaq gone Kobe will most likely re-sign with the Lakers within the next 2-3 weeks as soon as he can see that the other teams aren't willing to throw as much $$ as LA is.
Other teams are not allowed to throw as much money at Kobe as the Lakers. Believe me, if they could, they would.

[rkmsuf]

It's almost like no matter who or how many great players they get, the Clippers will never win.

[Ksyrup]

With Shaq gone Kobe will most likely re-sign with the Lakers within the next 2-3 weeks as soon as he can see that the other teams aren't willing to throw as much $$ as LA is.
He's supposed to announce today at 3, though.

[hhiipp]

Well I guess that would be within the 2-3 week timespan I said ;)

I had no idea about a press conference was just throwing out a general timeframe.

[Ksyrup]

I can't believe no one has been able to break the story on who he's choosing. That leads me to believe it's the expected choice, since news of him signing with the Clippers would be hard to keep quiet.

[heybrad]

Was there anything official that said he was going to announce today? The only thing I've seen is Jim Gray stating that his "sources" tell him that Kobe would announce today. The fact that nothing has leaked leads me to believe nothing will be announced today.

[MrBug708]

He's supposed to announce today at 3, though.

Actually 12 noon, since he IS in Southern California :)

He's supposed to have a 3 way conference call with Buss and whoever from the Clips. I'd imagine it would be with Baylor moreso than Sterling.

[heybrad]

I heard they are going to meet in Borneo and Mitch Kupchak and Elgin Baylor are going to be sitting around a fire. Kobe is going to write the name of the team he wants to play for on a piece of paper and the losing team will then have their torch snuffed out.

Jeff Probst: "Elgin Bayor... Kobe has spoken, you must leave the tribal council area immediatey."

[Danny]

I heard they are going to meet in Borneo and Mitch Kupchak and Elgin Baylor are going to be sitting around a fire. Kobe is going to write the name of the team he wants to play for on a piece of paper and the losing team will then have their torch snuffed out.

Jeff Probst: "Elgin Bayor... Kobe has spoken, you must leave the tribal council area immediatey."

Did you read that message over at Lakersground.net also or something?

[heybrad]

Did you read that message over at Lakersground.net also or something?
I told you I heard it... I just didnt say where. ;)