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Shaq to Beantown?

Black Phantom

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Rumor has it he has rented out the entire top floor of the W.

http://www.boston.com/sports/basket...08/04/celtics_close_in_on_shaq/?p1=Upbox_lead

The Celtics are precariously close to adding a fourth Hall of Famer to their Big Three, setting up what will be at the very least a fascinating season.

Two NBA sources told the Globe that the Celtics are in negotiations with NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal on a one-year contract that would bring the Big Aristotle to Boston to join Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, forming perhaps the most interesting roster in recent history.

O’Neal, 38, has expressed interest in coming to Boston for weeks, though the Celtics’ interest has been measured at best. But the club had sought to make a significant frontcourt addition when it was apparent that Rasheed Wallace would retire and Kendrick Perkins would miss significant time because of anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

General manager Danny Ainge signed Jermaine O’Neal to start in place of Perkins, but the Celtics lack a true backup center. Former second-round pick Semih Erden is a 7-footer with an NBA body, but whether he could produce in a significant role is uncertain.

So the Celtics are turning to Shaquille O’Neal, who has played with three teams in the past three years and is in the twilight of his remarkable career. With Cleveland last season, O’Neal was effective against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals, scoring off pick-and-rolls, rebounding, and providing a huge (literally) defensive presence.

But he comes with several detractors. He has clashed with teammates in previous stops in Orlando (Penny Hardaway), Los Angeles (Kobe Bryant), and Miami (Dwyane Wade), and the Celtics would have to temper his demands for playing time and getting the ball in key stretches.

With Garnett, Pierce, and Allen having been in the league for 12-plus years, each has at least a professional relationship with O’Neal. Garnett and O’Neal battled for years in Timberwolves-Lakers matchups, so Ainge may have to seek Garnett’s approval for such a deal.

Moreover, O’Neal clashed with Perkins during the playoffs, giving the Celtics center an ugly gash over his upper lip with an elbow in Game 1. Perkins, after being stitched up, confronted O’Neal after feeling another elbow whizzing by. The two had to be separated.

O’Neal averaged 12.7 points and 6.7 rebounds, shooting 56 percent in 53 games for the Cavaliers last season. His regular season was cut short after he was slapped on the thumb by Boston’s Glen Davis during a Feb. 25 game at TD Garden. He did not return until the postseason, missing 23 games.

O’Neal was effective against Boston in the postseason, scoring 13.5 points per game, but his performance was overshadowed by the inconsistency of LeBron James, and the Cavaliers lost in six games.

The Celtics have only the veteran minimum of $1.399 million to offer, unless they facilitate a sign-and-trade deal with the Cavaliers and include Wallace’s contract. Given that O’Neal doesn’t have any substantial offers from other clubs, he may have to accept a minimum contract, hoping to make one last run at an NBA title.

O’Neal said recently on Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night television show that he wants to play two more years, but many NBA teams cooled on him because of the potential divisive force he could become. With Doc Rivers experienced in massaging egos — including a year with the mercurial Wallace — the Celtics trust that O’Neal wouldn’t be a distraction.

Gary Washburn can be reached at gwashburn@globe.com.
 

deadheadskier

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I'm not sure. Boston was too Old and too Slow too often to compete 48 minutes a game last season.

Next year they are only going to be older with the addition of Jermaine and now Shaq.

It might work out, but the dude is 38. What they really need now is someone decent to back up Paul and Ray. They're weak at the wing position, especially with Tony Allen gone.
 

Black Phantom

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I'm not sure. Boston was too Old and too Slow too often to compete 48 minutes a game last season.

Next year they are only going to be older with the addition of Jermaine and now Shaq.

It might work out, but the dude is 38. What they really need now is someone decent to back up Paul and Ray. They're weak at the wing position, especially with Tony Allen gone.

You mean the team that took the Lakers to Game 7 of the NBA Finals? The team that took down LeBron as well?

No doubt they can use some youth and they will sign some younger talent. The Celts also need to sell tickets in a 4 sport town to pay for the younger horses. Shaq will bring the money in.
 

deadheadskier

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They were going to sell out the Garden every night with the Big 3 as it was.

It could be a positive it could be a negative. Yes, they took the Lakers to game 7. That was totally unexpected and impressive. But, they are a year older now and age was an issue.

Possible positives I see:

1. Interior D and rebounding. They got killed on the offensive glass last year. Shaq and Jermaine will help there. Having a couple more 7 footers to clog the lane will help a lot with teams like the Heat and Atlanta who are loaded with slashers.

2. On offense he will help by getting opposing bigs in Foul trouble.

Negatives

1. Further issues with fatigue in the 4th quarter

2. Could stagnate the offense. If they figure out the spacing where he is in the right position to recieve feeds on Rondo drives, it could be great. Rondo might be the best PG Shaq has ever played with, so he could be the beneficiary of some easy buckets. However, it could go the opposite direction where Boston becomes a dump and kick team ala the Rockets when Barkley played with them. On nights when Ray and Paul aren't hitting jumpers, they'll have a real hard time.

I suppose adding Shaq can make them better. It's just worrisome that a team that had age issues last year is going to have even more so this year. We'll see.
 

deadheadskier

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you know, the more that I think about this, this is a calculated move by Shaq.

Nothing would please him more than getting another ring playing against the Kobe in the finals. Nothing would bother the city of LA more than he doing as a member of their most hated rivals.

makes sense
 
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Well, he is officially here now. Veteran minimum salary. Two year deal.

Expect Shaq stuff to start flying off the shelves.

alumni_s_oneal_big.gif


rise_g_shaq_400.jpg
 

bigbog

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Think it, at least, is going to have the potential to be great. For one thing, Shaq can literally count on one hand the players(with teams played with) that want to move without the ball...and once the pass out to the 3pt line was made = 100% a shot from there insued. Shaq can see the forest from the trees....dish it out, and then either Pierce, Allen, Rondo can zip it back in to the center(Shaq) to dunk. No longer should they feel obligated to shoot the 3pointer if covered = Should be interesting....
$.01
 

Black Phantom

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Shaq the "Hacker"?

Sounds sketchy to me.

NBA star Shaquille O'Neal sued for computer hacking, framing former employee

NEWSCORE - (Report) - NBA veteran Shaquille O'Neal faces allegations that he hacked into a computer and destroyed email evidence in an attempt to frame a former employee, RadarOnline reported Wednesday.

Shawn Darling, who worked as a personal IT guy for O'Neal from 2007-2009, filed suit against the NBA star for "intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and civil R.I.C.O. [a racketeering charge] on Aug. 3 in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the report said.

Darling claims that O'Neal hacked into his voicemails and those belonging to an alleged mistress, Vanessa Lopez.

Lopez has filed a separate lawsuit against O'Neal.

The suit also claims that O'Neal used law enforcement contacts to frame Darling for a criminal offense and destroy evidence he held relating to Shaq's alleged extramarital affairs.

Darling alleges that "O'Neal, along with his houseboy Joe Caballero, disposed of [Darling's] computer in the lake behind O'Neal's house and gave him cash to buy another replacement I-Mac."

Darling has an extensive criminal record, the report said.
 
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