Before you post your "Oh hell no!" comments think about this... I believe Shaq is on the move, PHX wants to deal him.... The rumours have been Ben Wallace & Sasha Pavlovic, which IMO is dirt cheap...and according to what I read today, one of the reasons a deal hasn't been reached is PHX wants a servicable center back, and Ben Wallace it is believed, is going to retire..... So why should POR want to acquire an aging Shaq....well, I believe there are SEVERAL reasons why they should be looking at acquiring Shaq, which I am listing below.... 1) First off Shaq has stated he wants to play a couple more years, and yes he is aging and not what he used to be, but he STILL can play, and he played very well for PHX last year... 1a) But the main reason here is as a mentor to Greg Oden, who better for Greg to learn behind than Shaq? Seriously, a few years of Shaq and Oden as teamates could do wonders IMO for Greg's confidence and for improvement in his overall game, and isn't that really the most important priority for POR? Because IMO it certainly should be..... 2) Shaq adds that 3rd wheel to Roy and LA...The guy is not done yet, he can still play effectively, and dominantly in spurts...and POR current half court focused offense suits him perfectly at this stage of his career...I think part of the reason he never fit in PHX was because they have guys and an offense suited to run and Shaq, especially at this stage of his career, is primarily a half court player.... Look Shaq played very well in MIA when he played off of Dwayne Wade...I think he would play much the same way off of Brandon Roy...and POR has better talent surrounding him (In Aldridge, Rudy, Batum, Webster) IMO than MIA did... 3) I don't think the cost would be high...Look we would probably have to sacrifice some cap space....Przybilla, Outlaw, maybe a Freeland or Koponen and then suck up the difference in cap space...but the bottom line is that this FA market is weak at best....Kidd will likely resign with DAL from everything I read, Andre Miller is looking like an expensive ($8mil+ option), and Hedo is a pipedream IMO, who wants a lot on money (rumours of $10mil per), and the bottom line is ORL has flat out said they will hit luxury tax to keep him, and I think they will.... I believe that if POR added Shaq that not only would they significantly improve next year and keep up with the west arms race (and wouldn't that Laker rivalry be kicked up a notch?)...but more importantly it addresses the bigger picture, which is developing Oden...giving him time to improve...
I don't mind talking about it. I think the best thing about having Shaq would be he would force our guards to learn how to get the ball into the post. I would want him to train them more than Oden. I don't see any way Shaq would like living in the NW. He has never played anywhere that wasn't warm most of the year.
I live in the Valley and know for a fact that the Suns are trying to pedal Shaq to any team dumb enough to take him. When they traded for him, they got rid of Marion who had become a cancer. They also got rid of Banks who was possibly on the worst contract in the league. It was a decent gamble. But, he is not a good fit down here. Rumors are he is a cancer as well now because he wants to be "the man" again. But he knows the Suns are going no where with Amare probably leaving and Nash aging and looking to leave as well. Shaq has little value and will be a side show attraction soon. I would not give up Joel for him straight up. And I would not want him teaching Oden anything. What has Shaq improved at in his time in the league? He was always just a back you down and never be called for an offensive foul center. He couldn't learn to shoot free throws, but Joel did. Joel is a far better teacher.
If memory serves, Shaq has stated he does not really want to play for Portland. That was before though, so you never know? Unlike some, I have always been a Shaq fan. I think he would do wonders here for the team this season, and for Oden's devlopment for years to come.
Whoever takes Shaq better be willing to give him the extension he wants. Otherwise he's going to milk injuries and not play with any motivation. Of course once he gets his extension he'll milk injuries and not play as hard. Timing is everything with the Big Krispy Kreme, he might give you one solid season and then a major dropoff in production.
