2010 NBA offseason draft, FA, etc etc...

He was also a lame duck on that 2004 Lakers team that got crushed by the Pistons, and was in the center of the huge fued with Kobe who is and still was a better player. He also was blatantly racist toward Yao Ming, and what else, oh yes Kazaam sucked.

 

Is there an NBA star you DON'T carry the water for?

What are you, 12? Or a writer for "SLAM!!!!" magazine?

Anyway:

A. Shaq has never been gracious. If you need that explained, then you are 12.
B. He did not do "more than expected." Aside from ESPN, when he retires most of the honest analysis will be along these lines:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Shaq-sorry-is-not-the-most-dominant-player-ev;_ylt=AhaR9ZOCtSs89EaOYZVS8vLYF?urn=nba-259688

But he did "do it my way." That much is true.

Most people forget about the Yao Ming remarks, and what the situation really was in 2004. Kobe was double-teamed all series. Shaq was 32 years old, and not worth such attention according to Larry Brown. If I'm not mistaken, part of the immediate post-mortem for the 2006 Dallas Mavericks was questioning what the coach (Avery Johnson?) was thinking wasting a double-team on Shaq in the Finals.

 

Bob McAdoo played for seven: Braves, Knicks, Celtics (20 games), Pistons, Nets (just 10 games), Lakers and Sixers.

Moses Malone played for seven in the NBA: Braves (where he was with them for one week, played two games for a total of six minutes before he got traded), Rockets, Sixers, Bullets, Hawks, Bucks, Spurs, plus two in the ABA: Utah and St. Louis.

That's what I've been able to find so far.

 

Now official:

http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nba/news/story?id=5436289

Bunch of old folks . . . errr . . . veteran players who run their mouths constantly?

Yeah, Shaq will fit right in.

 

Kind of a weird signing, given that they also just signed Jermaine O'Neal. Not sure why they needed TWO washed up, immobile, former star O'Neals for that backup center spot.

And good golly is that team ever old. Not long until that roster is wiped out and Rondo left alone. With all those aging bones, I foresee them following the same pattern as last year where they slack off and pace themselves during the 82 game regular season grind but then turn it on during the playoffs.

 

I eagerly await Bill Simmons' reaction to the Shaq signing.

In his column on the Cavs/Celtics series, he was rooting for Mike Brown to keep playing Shaq. Now, he'll be begging Doc to keep him on the bench.

 

With Rondo being paired with all those other guys, it's going to be like watching a game up at the YMCA, the type on Good Friday or something when the one high school kid who doesn't have class that day joins the festivities and plays with a bunch of fat 45-year-old accountants.

 

http://celticshub.com/2010/08/04/scattered-thoughts-on-shaq/

Just stumbled on this piece which links the statistical evidence confirming what most of us noticed this year: the Cavs did substantially better when Shaq was OFF the floor than when he was on. Not to mention that the best they played all season was that couple month stretch when Shaq was out with injury. Wonder if Mike Brown ever bothered to look at those plus/minus statistics as he kept starting Shaq and giving him major minutes throughout the playoffs. Wonder if Danny Ainge did before offering this contract.

That piece also raises a couple good questions regarding chemistry issues. Last season Doc avoided playing Glen Davis and Perkins at the same time, they didn't work chemistry wise because both bulky bodies wanted to go to the same spots on the court. So now when Perkins comes out, they'll be putting in an even MORE immobile, bulky, paint-bound center? Who is Davis gonna play alongside?

And Jermain O'Neal is now way too immobile to play anywhere but the 5 spot. Where are they gonna find enough minutes at that spot to keep Perkins, Shaq and JO happy? Shaq and JO are both former superstars, will either of their egos be willing to accept third string status?

Might be interesting to watch this play out, but I don't see it working.

 

In today's stupid senseless inconsequential signing, the Pistons appear ready to sign Tracy McGrady.


http://www.freep.com/article/20100810/SPORTS03/100810032/1319/Tracy-McGrady-to-sign-with-Pistons

Woohoo, a busted-down washed-up has-been no-defense ballhog who has played a full season (over 70 games) exactly once in the last five years. That'll really jump-start the rebuilding process.

 

Once again, Scottie is nothing without Michael:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Scottie-Pippen-picks-some-guy-to-give-his-induct?urn=nba-261311

 

I really thought Joe Dumars was smarter than this. This is the sort of signing his former backcourt mate with the Pistons would pull.

 

Jesus. It's been a year since Jordan was inducted?