http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketb...tball-headlines <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MIAMI -- His team has been gutted this summer, with two starters going elsewhere, several new faces joining the organization and more moves certain in the coming weeks. Shaquille O'Neal, though, isn't the slightest bit worried about his Miami Heat -- and reiterated Saturday that his team will be a championship contender this season. "A lot of people are probably worried that we're starting over. ... It won't be a problem at all," said O'Neal, whose Heat lost to Detroit in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals last season. "Everybody's going to be on the same page. We've got to get farther than we did last year, and we will." </div> Shaq on DJ: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Swingman Eddie Jones was traded away in a 13-player, five-team blockbuster earlier this summer, and point guard Damon Jones elected to sign a $16.1 million, four-year contract with Cleveland on Thursday, a decision that disappointed O'Neal. "Every individual has to do what's best for them," O'Neal said. "We're going to miss Damon. He was a great shooter. But Damon did what Damon wanted to do. He got what he wanted, but he gave up a lot." "I guess this was his first shot at getting something big," O'Neal said. </div> Shaq likes the addition of Antoine Walker<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Forward Antoine Walker -- another offseason addition -- is getting high marks from O'Neal as well.</div> Shaq wants Payton <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">O'Neal said he and team president Pat Riley have spoken about other unsigned free agents, and apparently, 37-year-old Gary Payton is high on O'Neal's personal preference list. Payton, a nine-time All-Star who joined O'Neal in Los Angeles two years ago -- in large part to chase his still-elusive first NBA title, a goal those Lakers missed by losing to Detroit in the 2004 Finals -- averaged 11.3 points and 6.1 assists for Boston last season. "We would love to have Gary down here," O'Neal said. "Gary's 36, 37 years old, but he's still tenacious on defense and I know he still wants one. And I'm the only guy in the world that can get him one." </div>
Shaq knows he can lead this team, and he will. The new aquisitions will work because of his leadership. Jason Williams will be more affective than Damon Jones because he will share the ball and take the ball handling load off of Wade. Williams knows he can't take the stupid shots and I think he's going to be a great addition for us. I still think this is Shaq's team and he will lead them to a title.
Shaq is the boss. No body is going to start problems with Shaq on the team, if Shaq says he wont let any chemistry problems happen, then it wont happen. Im glad that Shaq put it out there that he will make it work, hopefully this makes the haters stop doubting us.
So true, with a personality like Shaq on the team how hard is it to have chemistry problems? ^^hope I didn't speak too soon, tho.
