Shaquille O'Neal Traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers

Travis D'arby

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JUNE 25, 2009 7:56AM

Rate: 4 Flag

ESPN reports the Phoenix Suns have agreed to trade All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. This is a cost-cutting move for the Suns, who will save $10 million on the deal once the luxury tax is taken into consideration.

This must be a bittersweet moment for LeBron James. If only his team had pulled the trigger on this trade back in February when the deal was first proposed, he could be celebrating his first NBA title this summer. As it stands now, the addition of the Big Aristotle makes the 66 win Cavs the prohibitive favorites for the NBA title next year, especially since their nemesis the Magic will probably have to let free agent forward Hedo Turkoglu walk this off-season due to salary cap considerations. The Celtics meanwhile appear hellbent on rebuilding their 2008 NBA Championship team as rumors continue to swirl about the possible trades of their starting backcourt tandem Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo.

The 37 year-old O'Neal is far from washed up, having been named to the All-Star team in a season in which he averaged 17.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. As long as the Cavs sit O'Neal during the second game of back-to-backs, he should be fresh for the playoffs. And with O'Neal to guard the Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard, the Cavs should cruise into the NBA Finals next season.

The only question that remains for Cavs fans is will LeBron James leave for the Big Apple next summer when his contract expires? I personally think the Cleveland area native will resign with the team. Why else would he build a 35,000 sq. ft. mansion in the area only to abandon it for a rebuilding New York Knicks team a few years later?

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I agree that LeBron will probably stay in Cleveland, assuming they offer him a fair deal. The fact that they went out and got Shaq proves the management is working to get better personnel around their star player. However, Shaq is pretty old - maybe only 1 or 2 good seasons left in him, and I'm not convinced he can grind out a whole game like he used to. I hope that Cleveland picks up a few more quality guys, who are younger and can grow with LeBron over the next 5 years or so.

mad_typist

June 25, 2009 08:46 AM

It would have meant a Cavs vs. Lakers Finals I believe. Shaq put up solid numbers on a bad team this year. They may have waited a season too long. Bron and Shaq would have made a powerful duo against the Magic. But now we'll never know. Unless Shaq gets that Shaqivation over the summer to come out and go one up on Kobe again. One can only hope.
Rated

Kind of Blue

June 25, 2009 09:01 AM

P.S., Look out if they get Chris Bosh from Toronto. LeBron, Bosh and Shaq front line. Long and athletic, Godzilla and the best player.

Kind of Blue

June 25, 2009 09:05 AM

I can't beging to imagine what kind of a house Shaq will build.....

cartouche

June 25, 2009 09:47 AM

Cartouche, a house of bricks?

Ian Valenzuela

June 25, 2009 10:05 AM

The Celtics just became the prohibitive favorites in the East, while Cleveland took a giant step backward. Shaq may not be washed up, but he is nearly so now and another year will not wear well on that body. He is terminally slow. Any team that has running big men, like the Lakers, will have an immediate advantage when Shaq is on the floor. Not that Shaq's half court defense is striking fear into anybody's heart either. the Cavs just bought superstar drama without superstar talent. Big mistake.

libertarius

June 25, 2009 11:39 AM

Shack a resurgence in Phoenix: he gave credit to trainers and medical staff. I like this trade.

Chuck A. Stetson

June 25, 2009 11:53 AM

I've never been a fan of Shaq but after this last season, he seems to have something left in the tank.

I just wish the Spurs would do better.

Kaysong

June 25, 2009 11:58 AM

I, for one, would love to see a Lakers/Cavs finals next year, with all the inevitable Kobe vs. LeBron and Kobe vs. Shaq and Kobe vs. the world hype.

The addition of Shaq gives the Cavs a powerful post presence that must take heat off LeBron. If it doesn't, Shaq gets a dunk. If it does, LeBron gets two points. Shaq at 35 is still fearsome. There's a reason that this trade has completely overshadowed draft day. The league and the players take this seriously, and it changes the calculus for many teams in the east.

But what looks interesting to me is that Boston seems hell bent on rebuilding to championship status, and they are shopping their backcourt to eliminate their principal weakness. They could quietly become quite formidable, while everyone is busy yammering about the Cavs and Magic.

Dana Dangerous

June 25, 2009 12:00 PM

Travis, while it is true that Rondo is a bargain at $1.5 mil, he's in his last year I believe and asking for the maximum for his next contract. While he was great in many games in the playoffs, his shooting still remains a liability. Furthermore, it has been reported by a few sources that he has an attitude problem. I'd love to see him remain with the Celtics, until he improves his shooting and adjusts his 'tude, he's not worth the maximum. Anyway, that's why the Celtics have been exploring what they might be able to get for him. In the end, some of it is just to send a message to Rondo that while he has vastly improved, he is far from irreplaceable.

With that said, regarding this trade, I think it makes the Cavs better. However, I still fee the Celtics, when healthy, are the team to beat in the NBA, never mind the East.

bizona

June 25, 2009 01:15 PM

Aaron, I think you're going a little overboard. It's sports, not politics. There's only so much analysis that can be offered. Ever notice how you can watch ESPN report about something, then change to Fox Sports and they say practically the same thing about the same subject? It's sports.

bizona

June 25, 2009 01:17 PM

The coolest thing is that I read on google news that he found out on Twitter!!! My family was staying at the Pfister in Milwaukee when his team was staying there. He was rude, obnoxious and hitting on all the young girls there for their "coming out" party. I have no respect for this man.

MiddleAgedWomanBlogging

June 25, 2009 02:13 PM

Dana: Boston's backcourt saved them last year. Making it to the 2nd round and pushing Orlando to 7 games was quite the accomplishment, considering they were playing without Kevin Garnett. Rondo practically averaged a triple double in the Chicago series. Allen is getting older, so I can understand trading him but Rondo? He's a bargain at 1.5 million next year and I think the Celts would be crazy to part with him.