Go Away, Shaq-Kobe

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">What an unfortunate turn of events.

Shaquille O'Neal wins another NBA title with Miami, and we have to suffer the consequences all the way across the country. Let the bickering begin, all over again.

The Lakers should have kept Shaq and dumped Kobe Bryant.

Shaq was out of shape and heading south, and Kobe's the best player in the NBA.

Shaq had a few good years left, and they should have made him stay.

Shaq's a role player, and Miami won because Dwyane Wade is a basketball god.

Blah, blah, blah. Back and forth. Same old, same old. I was hoping we could avoid this stuff again, but here we go again, I'm sure.

After the trade of O'Neal to Miami in the summer of 2004, Southern California's favorite debate was Shaq-Kobe.

It was like the Civil War. Brother against brother. Brutal and uncompromising. You were a Kobe guy or a Shaq guy.

It finally seemed to run its course last season when the Lakers disappeared into the swamp of losing teams, Miami fell short of the Finals with Shaq sucking wind, and San Antonio and Detroit emerged as the league powers.

Thank you.

Lakers fans had moved on. Kobe was a solo act, dealing with new problems that had nothing to do with his former nemesis and teammate.

Other than the occasional verbal shot, for old times' sake, I guess, Shaq had moved a year closer to his new career as a South Beach cop.

Talk radio in the Southland was safe for other topics.

Not now. O'Neal wins. He's news again. And Kobe's a villain all over again for manipulating the split. Allegedly.

In Miami, playing his angles just right, the self-proclaimed Most Dominant Ever, only had to be Solid Rebounder Part-Time and let Wade do the majority of the heavy lifting in taking care of Dallas in six games.

(Wade is a marvel, by the way, and as good as there is under pressure in the NBA. Not incidentally, the officials are on his bandwagon, too. Michael Jordan would have been thrilled to get the calls the Heat guard commands.)

Anyway, as it turns out, O'Neal as a second banana will be just as obnoxious a presence in this old/new debate as he was when he really was the main reason the Lakers won three championships in a row.

The big guy has four championships with two different teams now and Finals appearances with three, a laudable feat that can't be denied. Unfortunately, the additional bauble on his resume re-opens the old wound.

Tuesday night in Dallas, the Heat won its fourth straight game behind Wade and, oh yeah, O'Neal.

Shaq's numbers weren't his Superman numbers of old -- nine points, 12 rebounds and one blocked shot. Just good enough to help the Heat win.

Congratulations, Miami. Way to go, Wade. You're the best.

Condolences, Dallas ... and LA.

Here come the "what-ifs."

What if O'Neal and Bryant had been able to mix a little humility in with their oversized egos and figured out a way to get along?

What if Shaq and Kobe were more like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -- totally different but wonderfully compatible on a court and in a locker room?

What if there were someone in the Lakers organization who had commanded enough power and respect to make the two big babies play together the rest of their careers and pretend they liked it?

What if O'Neal cared enough when he was in LA to devote himself to getting in shape, taking care of his body and focusing on winning more championships with all the intensity of a Jordan or a Magic or a Larry Bird?

It's not far-fetched to imagine that the Lakers would have contended for, if not won, another three titles if Bryant and O'Neal could have worked things out.

But that presumes two totally different personalities and motivations.

The reality was, and still is, that the O'Neal-Bryant pairing had run its course. They were who they were, and it wasn't going to change.

If Shaq had stayed, Kobe probably would have been a Clipper, and the basketball dynamic in LA would have taken other odd twists.

Instead, Shaq has another ring, Kobe will have more annoying questions to answer, and for a few days, at least, the air quality in LA will take a foul turn for the worse.</div>

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<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Brasco:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah but the thing is the problem was not trading shaq but what the lakers got in return. You look at the two team since the trade the lakers and miami, one with a championship since and one with one playoff appearance in the last 2 seasons, it is still going to be looked at as as one of the most lopsided trades in histroy i feel.</div>

The Lakers, to be honest with you, didn't have many options on where they could trade Shaq. They had a deal lined up for Artest, O'neal, and Croshere from Indiana, but Shaq stated he'd refuse to play there. Minny lost interest.

They had a deal for Brand, Q Rich, and one more player from the Clippers, Shaq refused to play there.

They wanted Dirk from Dallas, which was pretty stupid if you ask me.

Shaq wanted to play in Florida--Orlando or Miami. The Heat didn't have many enticing pieces outside of Wade. The Lakers were told they could have anybody but Wade. I understand taking Lamar and Caron, but why Grant? They should've taken Haslem and Wright.

 

We should have taken Eddie Jones instead of Grant.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting philip2136:</div><div class="quote_post">i dont what u meant by saying its pretty stupid for taking nowitzki but saying that is pretty nonsense it's alot better than taking lamar odom</div>

Pretty stupid to ask for him, Mark Cuban is in love with the kid. And I see why, there was no way in hell Cuban would let Dirk go, even for Shaq.