[ChrischiParticipant]

Whatever team he joins will improve so much.

A lot of people say: blablabla he can’t defend the pick n’ roll, he is slow and can’t guard guys with range, he is old, he can’t shoot free throws blabla

I really don’t know if he would take a back-up role or how high his salary would be I would still love to have him on my team to play around 20-25 mpg. I mean you have to think about matchups. Shaq can easily guard every “traditional” center like Dwight Howard, or Bynum or someone like Greg Oden if he’s healthy. I mean he did so well and just for that reason I would love to have him on my team for the playoffs.

Heat – I think the Heat would make perfect sense. DH would overpower Joel Anthony and is to quick for Big Z. Shaq would fit perfectly imo, dunno if he would but just imagine how good this team would be

Magic – Do they have a back-up center? This probably won’t happen, because DH and Shaq are whining and have that childish beef on who’s the real superman, but just imagine how good the Magic would look on the paper with that center duo.

Lakers – haha, dunno how much cap space the Lakers have, maybe in two years for the vet minimum, but Bynum with Shaq as a back-up would be pretty nice

Dallas – The Mavs need a back-up PF

Utah – They don’t have a real 5. Makes perfect sense to me.

Boston – they would have a nice and deep front court with him, and for a team which will have to fight with injuries it might make sense to have Perkins, JO, Shaq, FatBaby, KG maybe even Sheed??? That would be pretty nice, although it probably won’t happen

Hawks – The Hawks are a pretty athletic and quick team, dunno if Shaq makes too much sence for them and I don’t know if want Josh Smith to be my SF. He still lacks range, he should be able to defend it though. On the other hand they wouldn’t have to double DH and get blown away from the Magic

What do you think? How high will his salary be? Would he accept a back-up role for another shot at a championship?

[sammybuckeye13Participant]

But could he go to the Jazz? He would be perfect for them as they’re a potential contender that still needs depth down low, and with Okur out he could potentially be the opening night starter. They’re not so good that Shaq would be taking a free ride; he could legitimately claim that he helped them win a title, and it might be especially gratifying if they meet up with the Lakers in the playoffs. After losing to LA in the playoffs three years in a row, if the Jazz were to beat them how great would that be for Shaq to hang over Kobe’s head? I don’t know what Utah’s capability for signing players is at this point (they’re way over the cap but I don’t know what portion of the MLE they’ve used, or if it’s gone), but they could put together a decent sign-and-trade package for the Cavs, maybe C.J. Miles and a first-round pick for the big fella. Or, better yet, they could give the Cavs a way to get rid of Jamison and trade them Kirilenko’s massive $17.8M expiring contract as well. That’s going a bit far, though. I just like the idea of Shaq on the Jazz, unbiasedly.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Than, it could be a big deal. Everyone believes an athlete should retire on top, and they think they are completely done when they are unable to do what made them so great in the first place. With Shaq it was his combination of athleticism and speed for a player his size, and, at 35-38, no he was not going to be the same. But, at the same time, he is still stronger than any player in the league. It still is painful to try and keep him out of the low post, and he still draws fouls on opposing centers at an incredibly high rate. Can you imagine he had been on the Celtics last year when Perkins went down? That would have been a different Game 7. The Celtcis would have an old and injury prone roster, but it would be deep at a crucial position, one that ended up hurting them at a crucial time last year. It would be hard for me, as a huge fan of Shaquille O’Neal to see him sporting Celtic green, but his signing with the Celtics is pretty much a no lose situation for them. If he does not really work out, they still have Jermaine O’Neal, who is still one of the better Centers in the league, and they will have time for Perkins to recouperate. Boston will have size that will bother a lot of teams, Miami in particular, but what Miami might provide on the wing and with their shooters could counter. None the less, this would definitely be a move that could pay-off huge for the Celtics. Shaq is still one of the best centers in the league, even at going on 39, if he plays 20-25 minutes, those are minutes where he can really do some damage.

[Rock_Cat78Participant]

Shaq needs to retire. He’s been done for 3-4 years now. He’s been a bad fit for the last two teams he has been with. He’s old, slow and his sheer size clogs the middle for teams like Phoenix, LeBron last year with the Cavs and will do the same thing for Boston and Rondo. The NBA game has gotten away from the big lumbering aircraft carrier Centers. It’s about finesse, mobility and having a face up game for bigs now. Shaq needs to quit hanging on. I honestly can’t believe the Celtics are going to sign him.

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

If you want to beat the Lakers, your going to need a Center that can match up with Bynum’s size, and there are plenty of teams out in the West that can use Shaq against the Lakers. Some teams that comes to mind are Jazz, Suns, Nuggets, and Thunders can all use Shaq against the Lakers.

[ChrischiParticipant]

Why the heck should Shaq retire? Just because he doesn’t average 25 and 13? Just look at the roster of every contender. He can easily play 20-25min for every team.

You can basically rest him in the reg season, play him less and then in the playoffs throw him at Howard. If his salary isn’t too big, I really don’t see a problem. And any team that has him, wouldn’t have to double team the Magic, which basically ruins their strategy. And he can still punish alot of 5’s on offense, drawing fouls and stuff.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

If the NBA game has truly gotten away from big lumbering Centers, what do you call Andrew Bynum in the Finals last year? When he is healthy, he is athletic and has something to him, but would he have been much of a hinderance whatsoever to Shaq in the play-offs. Size matters, and yes, while Shaq is not the top center he used to be, he still makes life difficult for teams and easier for his team mates. I would not blame his “clogging the lane” for the problems his last teams had. As I recall, he was an All-Star in Phoenix, who lost Amare Stoudemire and failed to make the play-offs. It was at times cringe worthy to see the Big Fella be less than himself, but he still caused issues. I do not blame him for Clevelands failures, if anything they were at least slightly better in the post than the year before and eaten alive on the perimeter. Shaq did a better job of guarding Kevin Garnett than Antawn Jamison, and while I am not saying that didn’t mean KG didn’t take him a few times, it was at least better. Name centers that are better than Shaquille O’Neal, especially in a reduced role? Dwight Howard and Yao Ming are still the only ones truly better, and everyone else Shaq gives fits too. I know it is a league that seems to be run by transition stars and PG’s, but SIZE MATTERS. It still does, and people need to realize that having big men make a huge difference. Ask the Lakers.

[Rock_Cat78Participant]

mike, you named one guy that’s a true old school Center in Bynum and even he is wildly inconsistent and often injured. Shaq just puts too much of hinderence on the way NBA teams like to play offense now with isolation, drive and kick, etc. A guy like Rondo, Nash, Lebron, etc. need driving lanes and room to operate. I just don’t think he’s worth it, but that’s JMO.

[SpencerIsHawesome2Participant]

“A lot of people say: blablabla he can’t defend the pick n’ roll, he is slow and can’t guard guys with range, he is old, he can’t shoot free throws blabla”

So you’re argument against all those very real and legitimate concerns is “blablabla”?

[NYK2010Participant]

He should’ve signed with the Spurs, he can play when Duncan is resting.
Celtics have to many big men now though most old if Shaq starts their offense will suffer.
Off the bench he helps a lot very few 2nd stringers can handle him in the paint.
Celtics took a shot though would’ve been nice for them to get a shooter off the bench instead.
Nate is pretty good but he’s at his best in transition.
The Bulls could’ve used his as they don’t have much size in the middle, Noah is kind of small for a Center.

[SubZeroParticipant]

I agree with you that he can make a team better that needs a big defensive presence in the middle. If the Thunder had him last year, I think their series with the Lakers would’ve went to a Game 7, with the Thunder maybe pulling it out. It all really depends on what team he goes to, though.

[ChrischiParticipant]

“So you’re argument against all those very real and legitimate concerns is “blablabla”?”

Are you dumb?

I wrote clearly that I would only put him on the floor if the other team plays with a traditional 5. He could save his body for the playoffs and you can throw him easily at the Noahs and Howards and I think if his salary is about 2mil that would be totally worth it. He could play like 50-60 games. And you can take him off the floor if he has to guard someone like Bargnani or someone like Amare.

But it looks like he’s going to join the Celtics anyway. Great move for the Celtics.

[SpencerIsHawesome2Participant]

Are you dumb? You did not say you would only put him on the floor if the other team plays with a traditional 5.

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