NBA Offseason

[PerryG2480]

Yeah, the T-Mac thing was a huge pipe dream. I think that this was a really good trade for the Rockets, and it's actually not too bad for the Magic either. Like e-bone said, get the Rockets a halfway decent point guard to go with McGrady, Yao, Howard, and Jackson...look out.

Shaq talks continued this morning on the station. Everyone is still listing Dallas as a front-runner. I guess we'll have to see.

[Greenblood94]

The thing is, if the Mavs really want Shaq, they will have to do this deal quick, before the Lakers hire a new coach who can "talk Shaq down from the ledge", so to speak. If Rudy T gets hired by LA to coach before Shaq is dealt, I can see him getting Shaq to change his mind about leaving LA.

If I'm Mark Cuban, and I REALLY want Shaq here, I get the deal done by Friday, or even before the draft on Thursday, so Nellie knows who else to go get. The longer it takes, the less likely Shaq will leave LA for anywhere else.

[Guest e-bone]

It's funny that everyone is talking about Shaq to Dallas, and Mark Cuban said that he hasn't even talked to the Lakers yet.

[PerryG2480]

It's funny that everyone is talking about Shaq to Dallas, and Mark Cuban said that he hasn't even talked to the Lakers yet.

But there have been confirmed statements that Mark Cuban is working on a proposed trade to present to them.

I think the first phone call will not involve Dirk. LA will say no without Dirk, and Dallas will hang up. Dallas will call back though, and I think they should.

[KPFC Sports Dept.]

I've heard that stuff about Rudy T talking Shaq into wanting to stay, but the issues there run deeper than that. Phil was Shaq's guy and he is gone, Kobe and Shaq have had major issues since day one, and Shaq can see like the rest of us that Kobe is now CEO of the Lakers and wants no part of it. If Shaq stays it's because he feels he can get paid the most by LA in the future, because if he demands a trade, there will be a taker, and he doesn't want to stay in that organization where they have made it clear Kobe is their man and Shaq is expendable.

Cuban and the Lakers have said no contact has been made, but Cuban has said that he would explore everything. Plus even if they had talked, it's unlikely Cuban would publicize it and put it in jeopardy or make himself look bad if it doesn't work.

If you go to that Real GM site I posted, there are a few ways for this trade to work with the Mavs and Shaqs contracts. If there is anyway to keep Dirk...well, Dirk and Shaq vs. T-Mac and Yao will be quite the rivalry the next few years in Texas.

[Guest e-bone]

I was watching ESPNews a little earlier and they were saying that Shaq wants out of LA because they won't get him a contract extension of two more years at $30 million a year. I don't want to see the Mavs go through another worst-team-in-the-league stretch, so I hope they don't sell away their future for Shaq.

[Rudy]

May Basketball Jesus save your soul in time...

I can hear Homer S now...

"I'm not normally a praying man, but if you're up there, save me superman."

and

"Help me jeebus."

[KPFC Sports Dept.]

The New York Times said that Nash and Nowitzki would make the most sense in the Shaq sweepstakes.

The New York Times and Laker fans only WISH that would happen, but since an East coast source said it, now Dan Patrick is spending his whole show saying that Nash/Nowitzki is the only way the Mavs get Shaq. Spoken like a true out of towner. There is now way in heck the Mavs do this. Walker instead of Nash makes more sense, the Mavs would give up too much with Nash and with Walker the Lakers will get a 14 million dollar break next year.

[Coach]

The Sports Guy has Shaq #6 on his annual NBA ratings (Dirk is #8).

6. Shaq -- This needs to be mentioned ...

Next year will be Shaq's 13th season. Just about every Hall of Fame center started declining between seasons 12 to 14 -- Kareem, Wilt, Hakeem, Ewing, Robinson, Mokeski. Russell saw the writing on the wall and retired. Only Moses and Parish kept chugging along, but neither of them was nearly as good in his mid-30s. Even Shaq watched his scoring average drop six points last year. Nowadays, when Shaq submits monster games like that 36-20 in Game 4, you say things like, "Wow, Shaq really has his legs tonight," and his coach says stuff like, "We wasted one of the all-time great efforts by Shaq tonight." Back in his prime, a 36-20 wasn't a cause for celebration. You expected him to repeat the performance 48 hours later.

He's wearing down. Slowly. Subtly. That's the real reason L.A. chose Kobe. But by dissing Shaq in the decision process, they opened the door for a Clemens-like revival over the next 3 to 4 years -- something that never would have happened had he remained a Laker. Now he's about to pull an Uma Thurman in "Kill Bill." Again, why wouldn't Dallas want to be involved?