Shaquille O'Neal might not bring a championship to Cleveland, but it would be pure gold for ABC when it opens its television coverage next season with the Christmas Day Game between the defending champion Lakers and ready-to-be champion Cavaliers.That's one you can count on. The Orlando Magic, who disrupted that anticipated NBA Finals matchup this season, would be dropped like yesterday's news. As if the Kobe Bryant-LeBron James one-on-one wasn't good enough on its own, ABC would get the Kobe vs. Shaq grudge match to spice it up another three notches.
It's why the NBA should be clearing the path for the Shaq-to-Cleveland trade, making one of the league's most charismatic players relevant once again.
O'Neal, 37, isn't what he once was as a player, but he remains a magnet for the spotlight, giving any big game an even bigger audience.
It's debatable whether O'Neal would make the Cavs better, but it's not debatable whether he still is good enough to have an big impact on a game.
Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, who just beat the Cavaliers in the playoffs and who once coached him in Miami, thinks O'Neal would help the Cavs in the Eastern Conference. It would give the Cavs a low-post presence offensive presence, something they lacked against the Magic.
"Getting Shaq would help any team in the league, even at this stage of his career,'' Van Gundy said. "He's still a force, and I thought he showed this year that he still can play at a very high level."
The Suns, though, failed to make the playoffs, leading to the decision to actively try moving his contract in hopes of rebuilding. The Cavs, who still don't have enough help for James, are a natural landing point for O'Neal.
"One of the keys is, do you have guys that are virtually impossible to play one-on-one and force double teams. Shaq still does that,'' Van Gundy said. "He's still a guy that is very difficult to play.''
O'Neal would give the Cavs a defender to guard Dwight Howard around the basket, something that neither Zydrunas Ilgauskas nor Anderson Varejao did very well by themselves.
"Whether he is the total answer for what they need, that's a question they have to address. It's all based on what you give up, how do you get better, what other problems does it create,'' Van Gundy said. "It would make some things tougher for them, like pick-and-roll defense at this stage of career. But your post defense would be better, and his offense would help, too.''
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shaq will not live in a hellhole like Cleveland. From LA, to Miami, to Phoenix, to Cleveland? I don't think so..
I take it you have never been to LA or Miami dumb ass! If somebody was dropped from a plane and landed in either place they certainly would not think they were in the USA. By the way you're THE DICK.
You know not of what you speak unless you are representing his little brain that is so well state in your screen name.
It doesn't matter what Shaq decides to do...!
I'm just happy that the Lakers are back on top!!!
Life makes sense again....!
Oh no! Shaq will mess up the Cavalliers, Sorry Shaq its time for you to sit down and go to WWF with McMahon...
Four years ago, this would be a great move. Now?
Come on, this is like Emmitt Smith going to the Cardinals.
Big whoop.
I'm picturing the Eastern Conference Finals next year. It's game 7 and the score is tied with 5 minutes to go. And Van Gundy decides to play "Hack a Shaq" and the Cavs counter with "Hack a Dwight" and the next five minutes is merely a parade by those two players to the free throw line, tossing up brick after brick. And the real Superman looks down at these two impostors and laughs.
Please PLEASe make this trade Cavaliers......
That way I can laugh at Danny Ferry some more when you are saddled with Shaq in 2011 while Lebron is playing with Chris Bosh in New York with the Knicks...
Face it Cleveland fans..... unless Lebron wins next year in Cleveland, your title drought will continue, because hes not staying.... would you stay if you were him?
yo shaq TELL ME HOW MY A-- TASTE---KOBE IS THE MAN -LEBRON --- MAYBE LATER ......
cavaliers will be Champs 09-10 GUARANTEED!
Sure, is that a guarantee from Mo'...possibly in the WNBA...ha!
it wont matter if shaq goes to cleveland ,he will just go there cryin about how he needs the ball.he always says the ball needs to go inside out.he is not the young shaq anymore.hey shaq how does kobes ass taste.lol
The main way Shaq could help the Cavs is if a trade of El Zyd and Little Ben would give the Cavs enough cap room to sign the big perimeters shooters they need. They need starting quality maybe 6`10 and maybe 6`6 perimeter shooters to counter Lewis and Pietrus of the Magic, allowing West, Williams, and Gibson to concentrate on the poin, instead of all three little guys on court at the same time. And the Cavs need a quality young 8 or 7 1/2 or 7 footer whether they keep Ilgauskas or trade for O`Neal. And if James is stupid enough to go to Wall Street and Broad Way and freeze every winter when he could join the Clippers, Heat, Rockets, or most any other team he might want, let him.