Shaq to be dealt?

[POJO_Risin]

This would be quite the switch...

Kobe stays...Shaq goes in a deal that would bring in a ton of talent...

might not be a bad idea...

So...where does Shaq go?

the Nets?...the Pistons?...Indiana?

this is going to be an interesting off season...

[Warham]

I've always thought that. I never thought Kobe would be gone. LA thinks of him as their Jordan.

[POJO_Risin]

Surely...if you are looking past the next 3 or so years...Kobe is the answer...

but if they want any chance at all of keeping Jackson...and winning the title again soon...they should keep Shaq...and let Kobe go...

of course...if the thinking is getting something back in return...you resign Kobe...trade Shaq for another center and a shooter...and you could contend again...as long as Kobe remembers there's a team around him...

[POJO_Risin]

How about this scenario...

Trade Shaq...sign Kobe...and he goes to jail...lmfao...

and the Lakers turn into Boston West...

[POJO_Risin]

So if they let Kobe go...would the Jordan return rumors resurface?...since noone wants that idiot to buy a majority of any team so he could run it into the ground?

[ALinChainz]

T-Mac, Francis, Shaq dominate trade talk on eve of expansion draft

By CHRIS SHERIDAN, AP Basketball Writer


June 21, 2004


A blockbuster trade involving Tracy McGrady and Steve Francis dominated the NBA rumor mill Monday while the Los Angeles Lakers waited to learn whether Shaquille O'Neal was serious about demanding a trade.

The Charlotte Bobcats also were major players on the eve of their expansion draft, making a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers to move up two spots in Thursday's NBA draft to select Emeka Okafor or Dwight Howard as the cornerstone of their franchise.

What promises to be a busy week began with loads of trade talk, much of it centered around two of the league's best known superstars.

The Rockets were said to be the leading candidate to acquire McGrady from Orlando, with officials from other teams saying Houston was offering a package including Francis, Cuttino Mobley, Kelvin Cato and/or Bostjan Nachbar for McGrady, Juwan Howard and Tyronn Lue. Because of league salary cap rules, such a deal could not be finalized until July.

``Tracy has indicated he would like to play elsewhere, and we're trying to see what we can do,'' Magic executive Pat Williams said. ``The issue is where he would sign (a contract extension). Teams want to know what Tracy's plans are.''

A trade to Houston would put McGrady on the same team with center Yao Ming, giving the Rockets an inside-outside nucleus few Western Conference teams could match.

In the trade that was finalized Monday, the expansion Bobcats acquired the No. 2 overall pick from the Los Angeles Clippers for the Nos. 4 and 33 picks. Charlotte also agreed to select Clippers center Predrag Drobnjak in Tuesday's expansion draft.

``We would be pleased starting our basketball team with either one of those young men,'' Bobcats coach and general manager Bernie Bickerstaff said of Okafor and Howard, the consensus top two picks in Thursday night's draft. ``They represent what we would like to become in terms of character, competitiveness and talent.''

Charlotte, which will select at least 14 players in the expansion draft Tuesday, also was close to finalizing a deal with Phoenix to acquire center Jahidi White, cash and a future first-round draft pick.

That trade would clear salary cap space for the Suns, allowing them to make a run at free agents Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and others.

The Lakers, meanwhile, were exploring their options regarding O'Neal, who issued a trade demand last week after Los Angeles announced that Phil Jackson would not return as head coach.

``Me and the Big Fella are trying to get to Dallas together now,'' McGrady told Florida Today.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said he hadn't spoken to the Lakers yet.

``Will we? Most likely,'' he said. ``But, you know, we also have to ascertain what's real and what's not real.

If the Lakers are serious about trading O'Neal, the Mavericks could be an ideal trading partner.

Dallas has one of the league's most talent-laden rosters, including several players whose combined salaries would be within the league-mandated 15 percent of O'Neal's $27 million salary for next season.

The hangup would be deciding the players involved. The Lakers would start by asking for Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavericks would be more willing to package Antoine Walker, Antawn Jamison or Michael Finley.

``I'd be hard-pressed to see us trading Dirk,'' Cuban said. ``Dirk is as close to an untouchable as we'd get.''

With former Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich interviewing for the Lakers' coaching job, Los Angeles general manager Mitch Kupchak was coy regarding O'Neal.

``I do expect to meet with or speak to Shaquille's representatives in timely fashion. We've had three or four days now for everybody to wind down now, calm down a little bit. I'll get a better feel of where we stand at that time,'' Kupchak said. ``I'm eager to hear what they have to say, and we'll take it from there.''

The rumored deal sending McGrady to Houston could be contingent on whether the Bobcats select any of Orlando's unprotected players in Tuesday's expansion draft.

``It's a very tenuous situation right now,'' Williams said.

Said Bickerstaff: ``We have been in conversations with the Magic, and we're good listeners and good facilitators. We have to make a decision not to do anything that's vindictive, but to do something we can derive some benefit from.''

Francis' agent, Jeff Fried, told the Houston Chronicle the trade was not complete but was close.

``Steve's preference is to not go to Orlando,'' Fried said. ``Steve's tasted the playoffs. (The Rockets) got a series under their belts. He was looking forward to going further with the same Rockets team but with another year of experience together. This is certainly not his preference. He loves Houston.''

New Jersey reportedly agreed to send the No. 22 pick in Thursday's draft to Portland in exchange for Eddie Gill and cash. Nets vice president Rod Thorn would not be specific about his trade discussions but acknowledged he does not view any player who will be available at No. 22 as being worthy of the three-year contract that first-round draft picks receive.

AP sportswriters Jaime Aron in Dallas, John Nadel in Los Angeles and Tom Canavan in East Rutherford, N.J., contributed to this article.

[Warham]

Dr. Buss is sick of Jackson. That's why he's gone, and Rudy T will probably be there next year.

[ALinChainz]

Cuban, Mavs moving slowly in Shaq sweepstakes

By JAIME ARON, AP Sports Writer


June 21, 2004


DALLAS (AP) -- Mark Cuban, Don Nelson and the Dallas Mavericks are always eager to make trades. And their team desperately needs a big man.

But with the league's most dominant center asking to be dealt, Cuban said Monday he hadn't even talked to the Lakers about Shaquille O'Neal.

``Will we? Most likely,'' Cuban said. ``But, you know, we also have to ascertain what's real and what's not real. Believe it or not, just because you read it in the press doesn't mean that a situation is really there. Sometimes, it is. We'll have to find out and see.''

If the Lakers are serious about trading O'Neal, the Mavericks could be an ideal partner.

Dallas has one of the league's most talent-laden rosters, including several players whose combined salaries would be within the league-mandated 15 percent of O'Neal's paycheck. The Mavs also have a management team that has shown the creativity to pull off wild, complicated deals.

The hangup would be the players involved. The Lakers would start by asking for Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavericks would be more willing to package Antoine Walker, Antawn Jamison or Michael Finley.

``I'd be hard-pressed to see us trading Dirk,'' Cuban said. ``Dirk is as close to an untouchable as we'd get.''

Cuban understands the interest and intrigue surrounding O'Neal's possible departure from the Lakers, as well as Orlando considering trading Tracy McGrady. But he laughed at the notion there's an abundance of big-name players available.

``The only difference between this and any other summer is that it's been so public,'' Cuban said. ``Typically, all this goes on behind the scenes.

McGrady told Florida Today that he and O'Neal are ``trying to get to Dallas together now.''

Cuban is flattered, but he's heard similar things before.

``You'd be shocked at how many players have called me at various points and asked to be traded to the Mavs,'' he said, smiling.

The Mavericks certainly will do something this offseason to shake up a team coming off a disappointing first-round playoff exit.

Cuban admitted the problem was ``we just had too many weapons for everybody to fit.'' The best way to solve that is with trades, especially since Dallas' only draft pick is No. 50 and the Mavs have only the mid-level exception to offer to free agents.

``We've called just about every team,'' said Donnie Nelson, Dallas' president of basketball operations. ``We're talking about picks and scenarios of all shapes and sizes. It's just that time of year. But I wouldn't get too carried away with some of the crazy rumors that are flying around.''

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpNWZic251BF9TAzI1NjY0ODI1BHNlYwN0aA--?slug=ap-mavericks-shaqsweepstakes&prov=ap&type=lgns

[Va Beach VH Fan]

The talk is that possibly Dallas or Memphis are the only ones who could really afford his salary...

But Dallas doesn't want to give up Nowitski....

If the Lakers pull the trigger and don't get him and get those 3 bums instead (OK, Finley is a good player, but not great), they're fucked in the head....

[POJO_Risin]

I like all the players involved in that deal...Finley is a fucking stud when the focal point of an offense...and pretty damn good when he's sharing duty...the other two are roll players at this point...although Walker can cause dissention...

but without Nowitski involved in the deal...it won't get done...no fucking way...

Memphis is intriguing though...you know West would covet Shaq...and make that team instantly good...

I'd love to see Shaq as the focus of the offense again...so we can see how much better he is than Kobe...

[POJO_Risin]

Well...New Jersey is interested in Shaq as well...heard about it earlier today...figuring on a sign and trade involving KMart and Richard Jefferson (good perimeter player)...still don't see how the money would work though...even if KMart signs the max...

[ALinChainz]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
I like all the players involved in that deal...Finley is a fucking stud when the focal point of an offense...and pretty damn good when he's sharing duty...the other two are roll players at this point...although Walker can cause dissention...

but without Nowitski involved in the deal...it won't get done...no fucking way...

Memphis is intriguing though...you know West would covet Shaq...and make that team instantly good...

I'd love to see Shaq as the focus of the offense again...so we can see how much better he is than Kobe...

It would motivate Shaq into his best statitical season to date.

[POJO_Risin]

I just heard that Dallas officially offered Nash and Nowitski...

of course...what's official...lmfao...

they said it was a "league official"

I don't like Nowitski...

heard a good quote about him today...

"He gets beat off the dribble at a wax museum..."

[POJO_Risin]

Yeah...Shaq rollin' as the center of the offense again...and he's never really been that...and Penny in Orlando...and of course...Kobe in LA...

He would put up sick numbers...if he came in at playing weight...

[Warham]

I've been a Lakers fan for years. That said, I think Shaq's best days are behind him. I think LA is correct in wanting to keep Kobe. I believe Kobe can score more than 30ppg easily and is a better all-around player.