<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Shaquille O'Neal made the first move that forced the Miami Heat to start exploring ways to trade the franchise center, Heat owner Micky Arison said Sunday. Arison said he received a call from O'Neal's agent, Perry Rogers, about six weeks ago, requesting the team buy out O'Neal's contract, which has 21/2 years and approximately $50 million remaining. This followed a call from Dallas owner Mark Cuban, who inquired about the same possibility, hoping to then sign O'Neal. "Shaq, through his agent, put himself in play," Arison said Sunday. "That's when we decided we couldn't just deal with Cuban. We had to find another party as well."</div> The Palm Beach Post <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>That initial contact about O'Neal, which came before the turn of the calendar, was from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, leading to O'Neal's push to cash out while spending much of his time inactive. Contrary to reports, the Mavericks never offered forward Josh Howard in the discussions between the teams, but did discuss other, lesser players. --</div> South Florida Sun-Sentinel <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Arison conceded in the Miami Herald that he was happy to get out from under the five-year, $100-million contract he gave O'Neal, soon to be 36, 3 1/2 years ago. "We knew the back half [of O'Neal's contract] would be tough," Arison said. "We were fortunate enough not to have to live out the rest of it." Pat Riley discounted reports there was tension between himself and O'Neal toward the end. "Shaq will forever be a player that I think did an incredible amount for me and this franchise," Riley said. "Everything else is blog B.S."</div> LA Times
