Shaq at it again

[23]

MIAMI -- Nearly a year after the trade, the verbal jousting between Shaquille O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers is still going strong. One day after Lakers owner Jerry Buss said O'Neal found motivation for losing weight only after being traded by Los Angeles to Miami, the Heat's All-Star center took issue with the remark.

"I didn't need motivation," O'Neal said. "I needed a real owner. ... I needed a real owner like Micky Arison. You can quote me on it."

Buss also said he doesn't regret trading O'Neal to Miami.

"And I don't regret him losing money and his not making the playoffs," O'Neal said.

On Wednesday, Buss said O'Neal was not willing to get into shape when he played for the Lakers. O'Neal, who played at an estimated 370 pounds during his final season in Los Angeles, is down to about 325 in Miami.

"It seems that the motivation for him to lose weight was to trade him," Buss said Wednesday. "I suspect if I knew he was going to lose 60 pounds, I might have made a different decision."

[noa999]

Re: Shaq at it again

MIAMI -- Nearly a year after the trade, the verbal jousting between Shaquille O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers is still going strong. One day after Lakers owner Jerry Buss said O'Neal found motivation for losing weight only after being traded by Los Angeles to Miami, the Heat's All-Star center took issue with the remark.

"I didn't need motivation," O'Neal said. "I needed a real owner. ... I needed a real owner like Micky Arison. You can quote me on it."

Buss also said he doesn't regret trading O'Neal to Miami.

"And I don't regret him losing money and his not making the playoffs," O'Neal said.

On Wednesday, Buss said O'Neal was not willing to get into shape when he played for the Lakers. O'Neal, who played at an estimated 370 pounds during his final season in Los Angeles, is down to about 325 in Miami.

"It seems that the motivation for him to lose weight was to trade him," Buss said Wednesday. "I suspect if I knew he was going to lose 60 pounds, I might have made a different decision."

LOL. If only he didn't back everything up with the way him (or in this case, his team) plays. Funny stuff.

[gin]

Re: Shaq at it again

"It seems that the motivation for him to lose weight was to trade him," Buss said Wednesday. "I suspect if I knew he was going to lose 60 pounds, I might have made a different decision."

How can you respect a dude like that? If he would have come into shape in 02 and 03, the Lakers would be 5 time champs right now and everthing would still be fine.

[23]

Re: Shaq at it again

He lost 40lbs last year gin.. and he recruited Malone and Payton for Buss because Kupcake was inept...

How can you not respect that?

[Vince]

Re: Shaq at it again

He lost 40lbs last year gin

prior to the 03-04 season?

[gin]

Re: Shaq at it again

He lost 40lbs last year gin.. and he recruited Malone and Payton for Buss because Kupcake was inept...

How can you not respect that?

are you serious? He didn't lose any weight last year. He came into camp fat, he may have lost some weight during the season, but he indeed showed up at camp fat.

When he got traded was when he decided to get into shape.

[SPTO]

Re: Shaq at it again

You can't really fault Buss for the comments he made. Shaq was indeed playing overweight and it showed in the playoffs last year. I think Shaq was wrong to make those comments but the Lakers were so dysfunctional that maybe he has a point to his comments.

It's like a bad divorce you're never gonna hear positive comments about each other.

[Vince]

Re: Shaq at it again

are you serious? He didn't lose any weight last year. He came into camp fat, he may have lost some weight during the season, but he indeed showed up at camp fat.

When he got traded was when he decided to get into shape.

Yeah I agree.Check out the pics from the last game till now.Shaq was about 370 last year no question.

[23]

Re: Shaq at it again

You can't really fault Buss for the comments he made. Shaq was indeed playing overweight and it showed in the playoffs last year. I think Shaq was wrong to make those comments but the Lakers were so dysfunctional that maybe he has a point to his comments.

It's like a bad divorce you're never gonna hear positive comments about each other.

I think he should have also injected that he lied to Shaq and that Shaq fulfilled his side of the agreement, which was to recruit GP and the Mailman,and that he'd take care of him...

It wasnt Shaq's fault they were losing

[23]

Re: Shaq at it again

are you serious? He didn't lose any weight last year. He came into camp fat, he may have lost some weight during the season, but he indeed showed up at camp fat.

When he got traded was when he decided to get into shape.

No buddy, Im not joking, he did lose 40lbs, and no I didnt say he was skinny. Vinsanity... dont compare then to now especially since Shaq lost even more weight just coming off of a stomach virus that took even more weight off of him.

[aholbert32]

Re: Shaq at it again

No buddy, Im not joking, he did lose 40lbs, and no I didnt say he was skinny. Vinsanity... dont compare then to now especially since Shaq lost even more weight just coming off of a stomach virus that took even more weight off of him.

40 pounds? Uh no...That would have made him damn near 400 pounds at the end of the 2002-2003 season. KDRE, even you cant argue that Shaq lost the weight to stick it to the Lakers and to win a championship this year.

[aholbert32]

Re: Shaq at it again

I think he should have also injected that he lied to Shaq and that Shaq fulfilled his side of the agreement, which was to recruit GP and the Mailman,and that he'd take care of him...

It wasnt Shaq's fault they were losing

What do you consider take care of him? Buss took care of him for 8 yrs as he was always one of the 8 highest paid players in the league. Shaq wanted to break the bank AGAIN at the end of the year and wouldnt wait until the end of this season to negotiate. Buss did what he thought was best.

[23]

Re: Shaq at it again

40 pounds? Uh no...That would have made him damn near 400 pounds at the end of the 2002-2003 season. KDRE, even you cant argue that Shaq lost the weight to stick it to the Lakers and to win a championship this year.

Do you really believe he was not 400lbs? And yes Im agreeing with you he lost even more weight not only to get the extension from Miami, but to also stick it to the Lakers

[SPTO]

Re: Shaq at it again

40 pounds? Uh no...That would have made him damn near 400 pounds at the end of the 2002-2003 season. KDRE, even you cant argue that Shaq lost the weight to stick it to the Lakers and to win a championship this year.

The funny thing is this tho, Shaq may have lost the weight to stick it to the Lakers but it's a completely different dynamic in Miami. Shaq is the titular leader of the team but on the court it's Wade's team. I compare this to Kareem Abdul-Jabar's last years in LA. The Lakers would still be a great team but they needed Kareem at times. The Heat are a pretty good team but they need Shaq at times too. Shaq is the final piece to the puzzle in Miami but he's clearly not the most dominant figure there.

[Vince]

Re: Shaq at it again

Trading Shaq was smart...The value they got is questionable,but that's another story...And if Riley and co. don't do something about an extention too,It wouldn't surprise me if he becomes a problem again.