Well I do think wallace did a decent job, the most points Shaq got was 36 and against some players he could have easily reeled of 50, (and this year he may just do it!) Also I just don't see more than 2 or 3 teams not doubling him, Remember Larry Brown is a great coach and what you are proposing is let Shaq get his, but I dont see how the Lakers supporting cast was any better than what the heat will have next year. They could use an offensive rebounder (cause shaq dosent shoot 100% and there are easy points for someone in there) and a pure shooter, remember that with Shaq now everything will be done to compliment him, you dont need to have complete players like Odom. Just capable role players: see (every laker over the past 5 seasons except Bryant) Your point is well taken and the lakers were totally lost in the pistons defensive scheme but I just dont think many teams will try that.
Your right alot of teams wont try it because they dont have the depth to do it. Those teams you named with no big men are going to get absolutely destroyed. There will still be just a couple of teams that I think will attempt that defensive scheme, mainly Detroit who looks to be coming back strong. I'm glad to see you say that Miami needs to add a few pieces, what got me on this board was that it seemed like everyone was saying, we've got Shaq its a done deal now!
I have never said the deal brings them a championship, they do need other peices just not big name guys like everyone who doesnt like the trade is saying, with Wade and Shaq they have the big ticket guys now they only need good role players (though there are few of them left) Stromile Swift is the only one I think is a really quality guy right now. Maybe Peeler to do some shooting. But I am confident Riley realizes the time is now and his next moves will reflect that.
If he's really not worth anything, then why do so many teams, if not every team, want him? Why is it that the Lakers didn't want to have him in the West? For every one sports editor/writer/analyst that says L.A. got the better trade, there is about 3 that will say Miami is clearly the winner in the deal, and they are more credible. And for the Miami Herald articles, I subscribe to the herald and it seems noone can stop talking about possibly the best deal in sports history. Lamar Odom , Brian Grant, and Caron butler don't come close to ShaQ, period. Expect ShaQ to do better because he's in the East, he's in a team that will appreciate his presence, and he's pissed that L.A. chose Kobe over him so he's gonna bring that to his game next season. He's gonna put a lot more heart and effort into Miami than he did for L.A. and it will show.
the best article yet http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-sko...la-sports-front Its' true. If you are a true basketball fan, if you are a true Heat fan, you can't root for Shaq. It's like rooting for Ivan Drago instead of Rocky. Anyway, he will sell tickets, he will sell jerseys and the bandwagoners will come in droves. But if he's so good and so much of a no brainer, why didn't Dallas want to deal Nowitski? Or Sacramento Peja? Or all the other teams their best player? You may think you know better than all the GMs that are paid millions for figuring out trades like this. I'm not that arrogant myself.
SKOLNICK: Heat goes from NBA David to Goliath -"Didn't you enjoy the 2003 Marlins more than the 1997 Marlins?" Even the 2003 Marlins had Pudge Rodriguez, its not like they went in there with 100% nobodies and came out victorious. Besides having an All Star on their team, they had good young players that proved they can compete which is what the Heat have. The new Miami Heat should be able to easily defeat last season's Miami Heat and that is a step in the right direction. Plus the new Miami Heat is better than the new L.A. Lakers <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">You may think you know better than all the GMs that are paid millions for figuring out trades like this</div> ShaQ > 3 players that broke under pressure in the second round of the playoffs WITHOUT trading our star player, that sounds like a good deal to me. Plus the players he will bring to Miami that will take paycuts just to play along side of him. There is no player like him in the game, he's one of a kind. Think back when the Braves traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees. "We feel that we have traded for the best player in the NBA." - Pat Riley
