Dr. Jerry Buss is making Celtics fans and other Western Conference teams extremely happy these days. The Lakers' majority owner has decided to turn his back on one of the greatest and most dominant centers of all-time in favor of a spoiled brat who basically quit in the Finals.
How do you tell the most powerful force in the basketball universe that you no longer need his services? Very gently, I guess. That's probably why Dr. Buss hired Mitch Kupchak to do his dirty work. In a Jerry Krausian move, Trader Mitch has decided to move Shaquille O'Neal and effectively break up the dynasty known as the Lakers.
Stupid move for a franchise that has made so many great decisions over the years. This Shaq trade will probably go down as a blunder only equaled by Kraus breaking up the Bulls, Joe Barry Carroll essentially being swapped for Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish, and Julius "Dr. J" Erving being sold by the Nets to the 76ers.
The other trade that makes no sense this offseason is Tracey McGrady to the Rockets. McGrady's open-court aerial show should fit in as well with Jeff Van Gundy's walk-up style as Kelly Tripuka teaching a defensive clinic. Put that in the category of "beware of what you ask for."
While Shaq has now returned to Florida as a member of the Heat, this will definitely not be addition by subtraction for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant showed the whole world that he is no Michael Jordan this June by quitting on his teammates against the Pistons. Yeah, that's the kind of guy who I want on my team.
While Shaq was busting his butt, the whiny look on Kobe's face told me all I needed to know about the future of the Lakers. Kobe will become the Tracey McGrady of the 2004-'05 season. When Kobe is double- and triple-teamed every game, he will be wishing that the "Daddy" was along side him.
What the Lakers needed to do was jettison over-the-hill point guard Gary Payton and tell the great Karl Malone to come back if his knee healed. With Luke Walton and Deavon George becoming extremely productive players, the Lakers could have made another run at the title. Without Shaq, the Lakers will be watching the playoffs and pulling ping pong balls with their Staples Center neighbors, the Clippers.
I see Shaq winning a few more non-Laker championships before his great career comes to a close. As for Kobe, if he survives his impending trial, that could be one of the few victories he should savor for some time.
August 6, 2004
Shawn:
Shaq busting his butt.. that’s pretty funny, Phil. Shaq still worth all the gazillions that he was demanding.. that’s debatable. Maybe for another year or two, but you’d have to be a chump to give that guy the full 7 yr mega package. The Lakers (and the Rockets) will do better than you think. But negativity gets your article read, so Kerry on…
August 12, 2004
Kev:
Let’s see what happens next season. Unless Shaq makes a significant change a lot of people are gonna realize how smart Dr. Buss really is. We’ll see who has the last laugh.
August 19, 2004
Eddie:
Well, so many negative comments have been said about Kobe Bryant and a blunder of an offseason that the Lakers have endured. They dropped Phil Jackson, that was understandable, they dropped Gary Payton, even that was in the range of possibilities. But when you drop Shaquille, that’s just crazy. Him and Kobe were a team, even if they disagreed with each other, they were still the best duo in the league, and now they don’t have each other. Sure, Miami has a better chance of winning the playoffs next year, but what about the year after that, and the year after that. Kobe is extremely young, and has not even reached his prime. He has more than a decade left under his buckle, and with his physical attributes, he surely won’t be as tired as Shaq when he reaches the 7-footer’s age. And you have to consider, the Lakers won’t be great next year, unless they aquire both Kidd and Malone, somehow, someway. It is possible, and they would make a great decision trying to chase both players. But in as little as two years, I predict, that the Lakers will aquire another great player, not in the likes of Shaquille O’ Neal, but someone almost as equally great.