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Shaq

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ive been saying shaq would be perfect for this team before the feb rumors started. he plays our kind of half court offense, he can body up with other dominant bigs (bynum, howard,pau,yao), and when the jumpers arent falling you can throw it to shaq downlow and let him go to work on his man. AND HE IS A HUGE CONTRACT COMING OFF THE BOOKS IN THE SUMMER OF 2010, THUS GIVING US SOME MAJOR CAP ROOM
 
Some other articles:

Shaq to Cavs: Give it some time

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Cavaliers are taking an aggressive posture as they head into the draft and free-agent period, so it was only a matter of time before the Shaquille O'Neal talks heated up again.

Several media outlets began reporting Sunday that the Cavs and Suns have reignited talks about sending Shaq to Cleveland to help LeBron James in his quest for a championship. There wasn't much to reignite in the first place; widely hyped discussions involving O'Neal at the trade deadline were never on the verge of producing a deal. An executive familiar with the situation told CBSSports.com Sunday that the situation hasn't evolved much since then, expressing surprise at the flurry of reports.

But when you have two teams desperate to move assets -- Phoenix with Shaq's $20 million expiring contract, and Cleveland with Ben Wallace's $14 million expiring contract and Sasha Pavlovic's partially guaranteed deal -- smoke often gives way to fire. Throw in the fact that the Cavs are coming off a debilitating loss to Orlando in the conference finals and an embarrassing week that featured a false report about coach Mike Brown's future, and you can see why the time may be right to shift to focus to the team's pursuit of O'Neal.

The executive involved in the teams' dealings said he fully expects the O'Neal situation to move to the forefront once the clubs begin fully exploring their options in the draft and free agency, which begins next month. The Suns, coming off a 46-win, non-playoff season, are highly motivated to move O'Neal in a bid to avoid paying luxury tax. Acquiring Wallace and Pavlovic, whose $4.9 million contract is only guaranteed for $1.5 million next season, would save Phoenix as much as $10 million, including luxury tax savings.

The Cavs view Pavlovic's partial guarantee and several players on minimum deals as a built-in trade exception they can use to improve the roster and give LeBron the big man he needs to compete for a championship at the highest level. A person familiar with the Cavs' thinking said the team is open to any and all possibilities and plans to take an aggressive approach in retooling a roster that won a league-best 66 games but failed to reach the NBA Finals.

A wild card in the Shaq talks is Wallace, who stated after the playoff loss to the Magic that he was seriously considering retirement. Cavs management has yet to speak directly with Wallace about his intentions, and as of now the club doesn't expect him to walk away from the $14 million left on his deal. If Wallace reiterated his desire to retire, it would spur buyout talks that would free up cap space immediately. Short of that, Wallace would get no money and the $14 million he is owed would come off the Cavs' books.

The idea of Shaq in Cleveland as a running mate for LeBron would present endless storylines and the delicious possibility of Kobe Bryant -- if he returns to the Lakers -- meeting his former and current nemeses in next year's Finals. The marketing people would have a field day adding a Shaq puppet to the popular Kobe & LeBron commercials. Bryant would be presented with the challenge of pursuing his fifth championship against the player he won with -- and feuded with -- in L.A. and the player who is trying to claim Bryant's title as the best player in the game.

It almost sounds too good to be true, except that it's not. Just give it some time.

http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11838893/15566449
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Gambo: Talking Suns hoops
by John Gambadoro (June 14th, 2009 @ 10:50pm)

Although Shaquille O'Neal didn't exactly rain on Kobe Bryant's championship parade Sunday night, he certainly got to share some of the NBA spotlight as talk of his imminent trade from Phoenix to Cleveland dominated Web sites, television and radio broadcasts.

Let's clear one thing up right off the bat. The Suns and Cavs haven't talked at all in the last few weeks about a trade involving O'Neal and any belief that a trade is imminent is total BS.

Now, Cleveland would be an ideal trade partner for Phoenix, but they are not alone in their pursuit of the 37-year-old center as both New Orleans and Dallas have shown interest. The rumored deal involves Phoenix acquiring Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic for O'Neal and depending on the possibility of Wallace being bought out and retiring and Pavlovic also being bought out, the trade could save the Suns, who are well over the salary cap, 10-plus million dollars when luxury tax is taken into account.

But let me be the first to say that the deal as it is being talked about, will not get done. It is not enough for Phoenix and something else will have to be included in the package if it is to happen. The Suns are looking for some basketball value back for a player who was an All-Star last season and could be the missing piece for a team close to a title. With Phoenix not having a first-round pick next year I would expect that the Cavs would have to throw in their 2010 first-rounder to make something happen. A trade with Cleveland could happen, but without the two parties talking it is not going to happen now. And the two sides aren't talking.

http://ktar.com/?sid=1179562&nid=624
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Latest buzz all about Shaq
Published: Monday, June 15, 2009
By Bob Finnan
RFinnan@News-Herald.com

Some fans think if the Cavaliers pulled the trigger on a trade for Shaquille O'Neal before the deadline in February, they might have been in the Finals.

Of course, it's nothing more than conjecture.

Realizing their gaping holes in their front court, the Cavs are once again kicking the tires of an O'Neal deal with the Phoenix Suns.

The two teams have talked about a potential trade that would send the expiring contracts of forward/center Ben Wallace and guard/forward Sasha Pavlovic to the Suns for the 7-foot-1, 325-pound O'Neal.

A source said the Cavs aren't close to pulling off such a deal and that nothing is imminent. The Cavs are doing their due diligence and a possible O'Neal deal is one of 15 to 20 things they are talking about with teams.

O'Neal, 37, just completed his 17th season. He earned third-team All-NBA honors last season when he averaged 17.8 points and 8.4 rebounds and shot a career-high 60.9 percent from the field. He's one of the all-time great centers and a sure-fire Hall of Famer.

However, Suns majority owner Robert Sarver doesn't want to pay the luxury tax and has made some of his key players available in trade talks.

It would be a cost-cutting deal for the Suns. They could save almost $10 million if they swapped O'Neal's $20 million salary (that includes a trade kicker).

Wallace, 34, is scheduled to make $14 million this season. But he's hinting at retirement and might settle for a buyout at a reduced rate.

Pavlovic is scheduled to earn $4.95 million this season, but only $1.5 million is guaranteed. If he were to be waived, the Suns would only have to pay the latter amount.

The Cavs won a franchise-record 66 games this season, but lost to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference finals. They need to find a big man to combat Magic center Dwight Howard, and O'Neal might be the man.

Even though O'Neal is nearing the end, he's still gargantuan in size and last season was in the best shape he's been in years.

It's unsure how matching Shaq and Most Valuable Player LeBron James would work, but many fans are holding their breath for it to happen.

There are others who think the Cavs can put their trade assets to better use. Some think the Cavs' front court needs to get younger instead of adding players in the last years of their careers.

Clippers center Chris Kaman, for instance, is 10 years younger than Shaq and might a building block for years to come. Another candidate is New Orleans center Tyson Chandler.

Adding Shaq would probably be a one-year, stop-gap measure. Also, his presence would alter the Cavs' offense from a spread-the-floor, drive-and-kick team to going inside-out.

They haven't had a post-up presence for several years, relying heavily on their jump shooters. Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, 34, would have to come off the bench if O'Neal is acquired.

The two teams discussed an O'Neal swap at the February deadline, but a source said it was never close to happening.

Perhaps this time, it will.

http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2009/06/15/sports/nh1039695.txt
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Gambo says we need to trade a first round pick? Fine with me, I'd throw in some cash too if it means a player with the caliber of Shaq. It'd be a winning deal...
 
castor777 said:
But come on man, LA has 2 7 footers named Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. We'd have Z and Shaq - do I really need to go in the difference between age, injuries, and stamina here? I wasn't talking about size, I was talking about how long it takes them to get down the court, which is a lot longer than Bynum & Gasol, Bosh with J'Oneal, and any other 2 7 foot combination out there right now.
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No, No need to get into the massive deferences between them. We all know. My point was that there are situations where Shaq and Z on the court at the same time makes sense.

Yes, all of those guys could get down the court faster than Shaq and Z, but none of those teams run on made baskets. So as long as the offense scores Shaq and Z won't often get beat for easy baskets.
 
New Broussard article: phx wants some talent not just $$ savings; Shaq wants to play in cleveland with bron, bron likes shaq, shaq wants 2 yr extension, but wouldn't be a deal breaker.

While the Shaquille O'Neal-to-Cleveland Cavaliers trade talk created lots of buzz over the weekend, there is an obstacle standing in the way of a future Shaq-LeBron pairing: The Phoenix Suns are not going to give O'Neal away merely to save money.



The Suns, who could save roughly $10 million by sending O'Neal to Cleveland for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic, also want to gain basketball value in any trade involving O'Neal, according to league sources with knowledge of the team's thinking.



With Wallace considering retirement and Pavlovic averaging fewer than six points over his six-year career, Cleveland would likely have to strengthen its offer to get O'Neal.



The Suns reportedly had interest in Delonte West when the clubs discussed possible deals at the February trade deadline, but the Cavaliers greatly value West and would be hard-pressed to part with him. As it stands, the teams have had only preliminary discussions and will continue to speak in the days and weeks ahead.



Phoenix has also fielded calls from other teams that have inquired about O'Neal, including the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers and New York Knicks. While getting talent in return is a priority, the Suns' desire for financial relief is real, which means they will likely trade O'Neal and his $20 million contract this offseason.



O'Neal is open to being traded and Cleveland is his preferred destination, according to a league source with knowledge of his thinking. LeBron James is also excited about the possibility of playing with Shaq, according to people close to the situation.



While O'Neal hopes to end up in Cleveland, the 37-year-old future Hall of Famer also hopes to get a two-year contract extension, according to the league source. That being the case, he would like to get assurances that James, who can become a free agent after next season, will remain in Cleveland for at least the next three years. O'Neal is hardly in position to make such demands, and neither James nor the Cavs are likely to make him any promises. The Cavaliers could be in position to have a significant amount of cap space to pursue free agents such as Chris Bosh in 2010 and they are not going to give that up for O'Neal.



The source said O'Neal's desire for long-term security would not be a deal-breaker.



Meanwhile, interest elsewhere in O'Neal remains fairly high.



Dallas could send the Suns Jerry Stackhouse and Erick Dampier, but the Suns have little interest in the Mavericks' plodding center, especially since he has two years and more than $23 million left on his contract.



The Hornets could perhaps offer more talent than anyone else by giving up either Tyson Chandler or Peja Stojakovic, but both players also have two years at big money left on their deals (roughly $24 million for Chandler and $30 million for Stojakovic).



The Knicks are trying to pawn their troubled center Eddy Curry off on the Suns but are getting nowhere.



While the Shaq-to-Cleveland deal is not imminent, it does have a legitimate chance of coming to fruition.



"It's plausible, it's possible," said a league executive. "But there's nothing happening right now."


Chris Broussard is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine.
 
brothers1759 said:
Yeah...but you conveniently left out DEFENSE!!! :chuckles::chuckles:

Who the hell are Shaq and Z going to cover when playing at the same time!?!?
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The only time you would have Shaq and Z on the court at the same time is if the other team went big. For example, Gasol & Bynum, Ming & Mutombo (or whomever they get to replace him, Howard & Gortat, yada yada yada.

OR, if you want to dictate to the other team what they are going to do. If you have to big, albiet slow, 7-footers on the court and you're killing the other team in the post, that demands that they go big to try and negate what you're doing.

Also, this line of thinking would require a temporary change in Mike Brown's defense to zone. So keep that in mind, but just remember that it is possible to play them both at the same time.
 
Shaqtus would get 25mins, Z would get 15-20. Z’s positives can be utilized in a shorter time frame and he would be a great back-up center. But when it’s the 4th quarter or playoffs, Diesel gets more touches than R.Kelly in a Chuck E. Cheese.
 
Grayson said:
The only time you would have Shaq and Z on the court at the same time is if the other team went big. For example, Gasol & Bynum, Ming & Mutombo (or whomever they get to replace him, Howard & Gortat, yada yada yada.

OR, if you want to dictate to the other team what they are going to do. If you have to big, albiet slow, 7-footers on the court and you're killing the other team in the post, that demands that they go big to try and negate what you're doing.
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Keep talking yourself in circles, bro.

You're the one who said Z and Shaq could play at the same time, not me.

Somehow earlier you said they could play together because Shaq was in the post and Z was a spot up guy....Now you're saying the Cavs could dictate tempo with them at the same time with both of them in the post???

Yeah....lots of teams "going BIG" these days.....do you even bother watching the NBA?

Basically against ONE team - the Lakers - when Gasol and Bynum are both on the floor.....that's it. So 2 out of 82 games and IF they meet in the NBA Finals.:chuckles:


Grayson said:
Also, this line of thinking would require a temporary change in Mike Brown's defense to zone. So keep that in mind, but just remember that it is possible to play them both at the same time.
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Yes, because Mike Brown is known as a flexible coach.....especially when it comes to defense.

Please keep posting....it's fun to watch someone talk in a circle and make a complete and utter fool of themselves. You are showing everyone here just how LITTLE you know about basketball. Congrats!:rolleyes:
 
How's this, we trade for O'Neal and ONLY PLAY HIM IN THE PLAYOFFS. :D
 
Young talent, huh? I'm thinking our draft picks plus money, along with a minor young talent could possibly spark their interest. I can't really think of any minor ones right now, maybe Boobie, he can play in a fast offense and when this guy is on, he is on. Not to mention, he's got decent defense, much more than most of the Suns players probably. Our draft picks could give them an opportunity to trade up or draft some late high potential players plus Boobie and cash, this all excluding Ben and Sasha could do it, maybe?
 
ACDC_Rocks024 said:
Bad news, Shaq to Chicago??

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/59835/20090615/suns_interested_in_luol_deng/
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I see the Suns being more interested in the Bulls' ending contracts and Tyrus Thomas.
Chicago could offer Phoenix a combination of Brad Miller, Tim Thomas, & Tyrus Thomas, who the Suns have always liked. The Cavaliers would be hard-pressed to beat that deal, unless the Suns just decide on a salary dump.
Deng to Phoenix doesn't make sense from the standpoint that the Suns are looking to clear money off their cap and Deng has a big contract.
 
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