It seems like this "Shaquille O'Neal to Dallas" rumor won't be going away anytime soon. If you recall, DallasBasketball.com got the ball rolling on Tuesday morning by posting a report citing anonymous sources claiming O'Neal isn't hiding his desire to be traded this summer."Privately, he's not making any secret of it," says one mutual friend of Shaq and DallasBasketball.com. "I bet right after the season ends, it won't be private anymore, either."Later in the day, Tim MacMahon of the Dallas Morning News lended a bit of credibility to Fisher's report stating, "I absolutely believe that Shaq will push to be traded to Dallas this summer. It doesn't surprise me to read a source saying that process has already started."
MacMahon also gave a bit more background to Shaq's curious tweet ("I'm lookin foor u mark cuban") before Sunday's game in Dallas, revealing that Shaq followed up by sending a locker room attendant to inform Cuban he was serious about meeting in person. As Cuban seemed to confirm via Twitter ("shaq found me. wish I could say what happened. I kept my cool."), the two apparently did meet.
As if the rumor mill wasn't stoked enough, Shaq called Suns owner Robert Sarver's motivations into questions while going out of his way to shower Cuban with love during an interview following Tuesday's practice. From Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic:
"I'm sure there's going to be some decisions to be made," said O'Neal, whose contract expires with a $20 million salary next season. "It's not my job (to decide). There are two types of business owners. Do you want to win or do you want to save money? Period."Those statements alone make it obvious who he'd rather play for; when you factor in the public flirting over Twitter, all of a sudden the initial rumor seems not just plausible but extremely likely. Stay tuned.
When asked which one Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver was, O'Neal said: "I'm not sure. The guy over here (Dallas owner Mark Cuban) spends money. I don't think he's really worried about the salary cap. I've been around 17 years and that's what it is. You either want to win and don't really care about the salary cap or you want to be under the salary cap."
(AZ Republic link via Bright Side of the Sun)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-08-2009 @ 7:51AM
demzrdopes said...
Shaq's day has come and gone. Nobody has the luxury of playing half court anymore, and Shaq is the trailer hitched to the Ferrari, it just doesn't make sense..
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4-08-2009 @ 12:31PM
huiwei said...
it seems Shaq is desperate to win no matter where he is at. The problem is no matter where he is at now, it does not make a difference anymore. his juz not what he used to be. and i guess it's best for everyone that he leaves. This is a STAT team, not his.
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4-08-2009 @ 1:25PM
Michael gifford said...
Is there ANY question why Shaq's been playing better this year than his last one in Miami? He's negotiating for a new contract...He does this...he'll make himself look like a big asset and then come into pre season out of shape and complaining about "touches"....The Big Ego can take this one to Dallas now and will blame Sarver or Gentry or anyone but himself for the Suns not making the playoffs...But he's the one who proclaims he comes to a town to win a ring...ooops...missed there Shaq. so, right now he's two for two....won nothing with the Magic, 3 with the Lakers, a Great Coach and a Great shooting guard, 1 with another Great coach and a great shooting guard, and now nothing with the Suns...I hope he goes to Dallas, I used to like watching the Suns...I'll begin liking watching them again...and Shaq can sucker Mark Cuban, the man who thinks he can buy a ring (clearly spending over the salary cap hasn't done it yet for Mark) and The Big Ego will have a new nickname for himself, temporarily charm the press again (he's good at that) and continue his decline...he won't be getting a ring for every finger as he says...
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4-08-2009 @ 5:51PM
nickstoli said...
Didn't Cuban learn from Jason Kidd? It's not a good idea to sign past-their-prime guys.
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4-08-2009 @ 10:16PM
Patches said...
Shag is done. He is too old for the game they are playing now days. Phoenix should unload him to Dallas, and start looking for some more defensive minded race horses who can put point up on the board. Cuban is a smart business man. If he can't make money having Shag on the Dallas team, Shag won't be going there. Send him back to the Lakers. Or better yet, the Clippers. Must be nice to be out dated, but still getting $20 million to
play......some where. Patch
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4-10-2009 @ 5:23AM
tim said...
shaq met mark cuban at a bakery in dallas this week.
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4-09-2009 @ 11:44PM
campster241977 said...
Why is it everyone has to beat Shaq up? Leave him alone, he gets enough of it on and off the court from the coaches and family. He doesn't need everybody else critizing him.
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