If Celtics had Prime Shaq now, are we unstoppable?

[KG Living Legend]

 I know Shaq doesn't exist anymore,  but if we could bring back 25 year old Shaq and he played with this celtics team for 10 years. How many rings let's say over the next 6 years with Tatum and company.  3 rings? Four or more?

 With how we space the floor and all the shooting and defense we have and an absolutely unstoppable force inside,  I don't know how anyone could guard us.

 I think Brad should try his best to get a physically dominant inside scoring big, anyone like that in  the 2028 draft with the clippers pick?

[Silas]

If a frog had wings it wouldn't bump its ass every time it hopped!

[Goldstar88]

Shaq does still exist. Just saw him on the tele the other day.

[johnnygreen]

Whoever a prime Shaq played for, would be the best team in the league and winning titles.

[SparzWizard]

Is Shaq being forced to shoot 3's? You want him to play with this squad after all 

[KG Living Legend]

Whoever a prime Shaq played for, would be the best team in the league and winning titles.

That's not true.  He's not winning with the Kings or Nets and a handful of other teams. 

[KG Living Legend]

Is Shaq being forced to shoot 3's? You want him to play with this squad after all 

 No that's my whole point.  Give this team a real big man, Webber in his prime, Shaq, Duncan,  Hakeem,  Ewing, Mourning,  Amare, with all the three point shooting and we would be unguardable.

[KG Living Legend]

 Weak thread. Bringing awareness that it the Celtics simply had a dominant post presence,  that could pass out of a double team we would be world champions. 

 The IQ of this blog isn't what it used to be...

[Neurotic Guy]

Is Shaq being forced to shoot 3's? You want him to play with this squad after all 

 No that's my whole point.  Give this team a real big man, Webber in his prime, Shaq, Duncan,  Hakeem,  Ewing, Mourning,  Amare, with all the three point shooting and we would be unguardable.

No need for prime Shaq, Duncan, or Hakeem. 2023-24 Al and KP (healthy) would put this team in the mix in 26-27.

That said, MR and Q will be interesting.

[Vermont Green]

Not sure I get the point of this thread.  But what is true is that if Shaq had stayed healthy in 2020-11, the Celtics had a real chance at a title.  That is the year they traded Perk and right after, Shaq was done for the season, if I remember correctly (which is not always the case).

[KG Living Legend]

 Replace Shaq with George.  Do we win it all this year.

Shaq
Tatum
Scheirman
White
Prichard

Queta, Robinson,  Hugo, Hauser,  Garza, Walsh,  Conley,  Harper, Cenac

[KG Living Legend]

 Replace Shaq with George.  Do we win it all this year.

Shaq
Tatum
Scheirman
White
Prichard

Queta, Robinson,  Hugo, Hauser,  Garza, Walsh,  Conley,  Harper, Cenac

[Csfan1984]

This coach and this system would see prime Shaq score 17pts a game and grab 12 rebs. The game change overall would see Shaqs blocks reduced but his steals increased. He would probably still get defensive player of the year votes. People forget how intimidating he was in the paint on defense.

Do they win, maybe they do? Still Shaq wouldn't be as dominate in this system. The threes and spacing would diminish his impact if they refuse to pass him the ball and just make him a screener (see Vuce in our system and Vuce had a decent shot).

[KG Living Legend]

This coach and this system would see prime Shaq score 17pts a game and grab 12 rebs. The game change overall would see Shaqs blocks reduced but his steals increased. He would probably still get defensive player of the year votes. People forget how intimidating he was in the paint on defense.

Do they win, maybe they do? Still Shaq wouldn't be as dominate in this system. The threes and spacing would diminish his impact if they refuse to pass him the ball and just make him a screener (see Vuce in our system and Vuce had a decent shot).

 17 ppg per game Prime Shaq??? You must be joking. We have Tatum and what else? Breaking news Shaq is 10 times better than Tatum will ever be.

[byennie]

This coach and this system would see prime Shaq score 17pts a game and grab 12 rebs. The game change overall would see Shaqs blocks reduced but his steals increased. He would probably still get defensive player of the year votes. People forget how intimidating he was in the paint on defense.

Do they win, maybe they do? Still Shaq wouldn't be as dominate in this system. The threes and spacing would diminish his impact if they refuse to pass him the ball and just make him a screener (see Vuce in our system and Vuce had a decent shot).

Hehe, I get the sentiment about Shaq being a weird fit in 2026, but we're talking about prime Shaq and suggesting his output would be prime Jonas Valanciunas. He would be that player... 3 inches and 75lbs bigger, with leaping defending and passing ability. And Jonas was legitimately at the 17/12 level for years in the modern NBA.

Personally, I think he might play 30 minutes a night instead of 40, but could put up closer 25 and 15, with 4 assists, couple steals, couple of blocks. A few nights where he'd be like 18-24 from the field for 45 points and 22 rebounds, a few others where he'd foul out and the opposing center would hit six 3PTs. But overall he'd be [dang] good and have insane mismatches in his favor pretty often.