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After accepting a mere $100 million contract from the Miami Heat, Shaq is being praised for his generosity. Shaq's willingness to take less money allowed the Heat to add some much needed depth, by using their capspace to acquire Antoine Walker, Jason Williams, and James Posey.
"I'm very excited about my new agreement with the Heat," O'Neal said. "This contract allows me to address all of my family's long-term financial goals while allowing the Heat the ability to acquire those players that we need to win a championship."
LAist wants to know why Shaq wasn't saying these things over a year ago, when our beloved Lakers were trying to lock him up while still being able to afford decent role players under the cap. You may remember his famous "pay me" stunt in front of Jerry Buss at an exhibition game in Hawaii. Or his comments during the 2004 Western Conference against the Timberwolves.
"I won't be devalued, never ever devalued," O'Neal said back then. "I'm the one that's bringing in the players anyway. I can bring the players in for no money. I've done that before. I've been the general manager of this team for the last two years. I don't want to hear that about blah-blah-blah because I'm the one that's bringing them in. I'm the one that's making the phone calls to them. Seriously."
Yeah, we guess Antoine Walker wasn't exactly willing to take "no money," Shaq, when he signed a $53 million deal with the Heat. Remember the Lakers and Shaq were $9 million apart on an extension a year and half ago. Had the two parties agreed on an extension, Shaq would have never been traded. But Shaq was going off saying he refused to be "devalued." The Lakers needed Shaq to take just a little less, so that they could bring in some athletic depth under the salary cap. Their slim bench cost them the NBA Finals against Detroit in 2004. But Shaq insisted he could bring in players for free, which is silly. What a hypocrite.
"Shaquille can name his price," Shaq's agent Perry Rogers said yesterday. "And the price he named was winning ... You get paid the most, but you do it in a way that's not detrimental to what the team wants to accomplish."
The Lakers wanted to win with both Shaq and Kobe, but the big man demanded a trade with his outrageous contract demands not met a year ago. LAist supposes he didn't care about winning when he was on the Lakers, and certainly had no interest in what they were trying to accomplish. It's amazing how the times change.
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ay friggin' men. i'm tired of hearing about how poor ol' shaq just wanted to be a laker and got kicked out of town by el diablo and his wife, vanessa.
I don't buy it. I think Shaq got every dollar he could squeeze out of the Heat, and this cover story of "sacrificing" is just to save face.
This year was very revealing - I was among those who thought Shaq could still be dominant if he put in the effort. We were wrong. He's still All-Star caliber, but he's plummeting off a very steep cliff.
I think the Heat organization could see this. I don't think they really offered him $125 million - that would be insane. I mean, $100 million is insane - Shaq's virtually certain to be a drag on them by the end of that contract, and they'll have no flexibility once (if?) they re-sign Wade - but at least in the short term, they have enough flexibility for another big run at a title, which is enough for an organization like the Heat.
(And are those actual quotes by Shaq, or paraphrases? If they're real, they're pretty damning. Amazing how the media forgets what an ingrate he has been.)
Wait...you guys don't think paying $25 mil for Shaq at 37 or 38 is a deal? He's in such good shape now, I'm sure he'll be doing smashingly in 3 or 4 years.
Shaq's obviously indestructible....I mean, when was the last time he sat out a game.
Oh yeah....right.
Trade flurries aside, I stand by my prediction...Shaq will never win another NBA title (at least as a player...lord only knows he can probably buy a winning team after he retires).
It wasn't about the money. He was devalued by the Dr. Buss and Co. when they put Kobe's needs above just about everyone else's. You Laker fans got what you deserved.
Shaq's not a hypocrite. He's obviously valued in Miami, and not just from a financial perspective -- this is why he agreed to the pay cut over there, but not for Kobe or Dr. Buss.
Phil Jackson is crazy to go back there, but I have the feeling he's back more for his woman then for any professional reason.
Seoulo - I don't know why I'm even bothering, but ... can you back up anything you're saying? Anything at all? I mean, is there a single shred of evidence that Shaq would have accepted a pay cut from the Lakers or Miami or anyone else unless he had exhausted any and all other options? I'm afraid you won't get "racked" here for merely regurgitating the Shaq-apologist drivel spewed by ESPN.
no way shaq accepted a "pay cut". No way.
My prediction-- he'll play most of next year, little of 2006-7 and about half of 2007-8, after which he'll retire.