<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MIAMI - To be dramatic, you could say the weight of a season, a franchise, a coaching future, and a meager-by-comparison 350 pounds of fun-loving flesh came down on Shaquille O?Neal?s ankle last week, putting him on the shelf for two-to-four weeks and the Heat up for grabs. But let?s be serious. It?s November. The Heat is over-stocked with talent so this injury will have no bearing on what happens to them in January, much less June. But there is a serious issue in the not-so-serious injury Shaq suffered. The question isn?t about the Heat season, though. It?s about Shaq himself. He started last year with an injury (hamstring). He ended last year with an injury (thigh bruise that bothered him through the playoffs). He had the history of toe woes in Los Angeles. Now, at 34, he?s hurt already. Maybe the Lakers knew something and that helped trade the big man out of Los Angeles. Last week's latest injury was an ankle sprain. Yes, it happens to everyone in basketball. Yes, it could have been anyone twisting on Ron Artest?s foot like that (and, using twisted logic themselves, conspiracy-theorizing fans in Miami are blaming Artest!) But the more Shaq gets hurt, the more these questions get raised and the more they seem to have some validity to them. Is this how it?s going to be with him from here on out? Will his career have a Hokey-Pokey feel to it ? sometimes the left foot?s in, sometimes it?s out, sometimes he can play, sometimes he can?t. No one gives a bigger beating than Shaq in a game. But no one takes a bigger one, either, from a tag team of defenders. At some point, that's got to take a toll, and maybe we're getting to that point. Also, if no one underplays his impact, no one overstates his work ethic to keep in shape, either. Phil Jackson was the first one to point him toward winning by getting him to focus on working harder. Pat Riley?s first conversation with O?Neal with the Heat involved a lower weight target (330 pounds) for training camp. Shaq hit that. He played around that weight all last year, which became an issue involving the injuries last spring. He thought he didn?t have enough beef. ?I?m done being Shaq Lite,?? he announced at the start of training camp in October. <div align="center">. . . .</div> So the health of the Heat season isn?t an issue. It?s simply Shaq?s health. Toe. Hamstring. Thigh. Ankle. At 34, the sore body parts keep adding up. Maybe the Lakers did make the right move by dealing Shaq after all.</div> Source
They were right in trading him but not for what they got back. They basically traded Shaq for Odom and Kwame. that screams UGH! to me.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllNet:</div><div class="quote_post">They were right in trading him but not for what they got back. They basically traded Shaq for Odom and Kwame. that screams UGH! to me.</div> They also saved $30Million dollars by waiving Grant, and we won't know the final outcome until the 2007 mystery man is revealed. The main gripe I had with trading Shaq was not getting a capable big man or All-Star in return. Lamar has the potential to be an All-Star, but he's had six years to reach it, and still hasn't. Brian Grant was not the solution even if Vlade and Malone where healthy and could have played. Still the trade is starting to shift towards the Lakers advantage and I take pleasure in that.
Shaq is getting old, and is big - so I think everyone knew that injuries would start to arise... especially how much of a beating the man takes. Obviously the Lakers are headed in a new direction and banking on some new talent and stars rolling in. We know how everyone likes to speculate down in Hollywood - and I think they are hoping and banking that Garnett doesn't have a house in Southern. Cal for no reason... Speculate LA... speculate.
Maybe they could have got a lil more talent back. But I've always supported the trade. First off, anytime your rebuilding, your going to have a couple bad years. Especially if your coming off a few championship years. People expect so much from the Lakers, they overreacted when they had a one bad year. Just because Shaq lead Miami to to the playoffs, and the Lakers didn't make the playoffs the first year, doesn't mean it was a horrible trade. I think the Phil is going to lead them to the playoffs this year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting purehoops:</div><div class="quote_post">Shaq is getting old, and is big - so I think everyone knew that injuries would start to arise... especially how much of a beating the man takes. Obviously the Lakers are headed in a new direction and banking on some new talent and stars rolling in. We know how everyone likes to speculate down in Hollywood - and I think they are hoping and banking that Garnett doesn't have a house in Southern. Cal for no reason... Speculate LA... speculate.</div> You mean continuing injuries. KG has two homes down in Malibu now, and I think he's looking for third. Still the best situation for the Lakers would have been if Shaq and Kobe worked it out. They had the best opportunity to win titles sticking together. Kobe should have been willing to defer to Shaq and have the offense run through him. Shaq should have been willing to stay in shape, take the same paycut he did with the Heat, and agree to stop airing things out to the media.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">KG has two homes down in Malibu now, and I think he's looking for third.</div> He has also been known to spend a lot of time down in South Carolina... in his home town. Starting Foward for the Charlotte Bobcats... Kevviiinn Garn -
I think in a way it was good idea to trade Shaq. I felt like he was be injury prone and thats not what the Lakers needed. What I don't agree is what the Lakers got exchange for him. They go basically nothing compared to the level that Shaq is.
I agree the Lakers made the right move by trading Shaq, he was getting too old and got injured way too much. He also took about half of the Laker's cap room, but they could've got back better players in return. They should've asked for 3 first round draft picks or something, along with Odom, Grant, and Butler.
Yea I knew the Lakers made a good choice in getting rid of Shaq save money! Plus its better in the long term!
People are making too much out of this, shaq's injury could have happened to anybody. when duncan was injured last season were people going around saying he weighed too much? no. and people are making too big a deal about his age, he's only 33. kareem was winning championships at 33, jordan was wining championships at 33, karl malone was scoring 25+ points at 33.Shaq is at the same level as all those players, and the weight shaq has isn't shawn kemp type weight. its the same weight he's been using to his advantage his whole career.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Johnnybrasco:</div><div class="quote_post">People are making too much out of this, shaq's injury could have happened to anybody. when duncan was injured last season were people going around saying he weighed too much? no. and people are making too big a deal about his age, he's only 33. kareem was winning championships at 33, jordan was wining championships at 33, karl malone was scoring 25+ points at 33.Shaq is at the same level as all those players, and the weight shaq has isn't shawn kemp type weight. its the same weight he's been using to his advantage his whole career.</div> But even still though; Jordan, Kareem and Malone didn't weigh 350 - 360 pounds... Plus they were in better shape (going to the gym and lifting big is not getting into shape; you definitely build strength, but you also get big and heavier. I know Malone is a pretty big guy, but he is still not as "Heavey" as Shaq so he probably had better stamina, atleast during his prime days). It seems that when Shaq gets into these type of injuries; bruised thigh, bruised big toe, ankle sprain, etc... His size and weight makes it harder for him to completely heal; because after a few more weeks/months of playing again he starts to feel pain again, thus hindering his overall game...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Johnnybrasco:</div><div class="quote_post">People are making too much out of this, shaq's injury could have happened to anybody. when duncan was injured last season were people going around saying he weighed too much? no. and people are making too big a deal about his age, he's only 33. kareem was winning championships at 33, jordan was wining championships at 33, karl malone was scoring 25+ points at 33.Shaq is at the same level as all those players, and the weight shaq has isn't shawn kemp type weight. its the same weight he's been using to his advantage his whole career.</div> Players like Kareem, Karl, and Jordan were light years ahead of Shaq when it comes to conditioning and keeping their bodies in shape. I don't think it's so much Shaq's weight, but he's not as flexible as he once was. If Shaq is serious about playing 5 more years at a high level, I think he should start taking Yoga. The ankle injury could happen to anyone, but it takes Shaq more time to get his conditioning back when he gets injured. That's the difference than when it happens to Duncan or Dirk or someone else.
