If he wants go out on top by helping us beat LA in the Finals, he will come here.  If he just wants to sell tickets, get overpaid, and play on a team that will get swept in round 2, he will go to ATL.

Boston and it's not close. The Hawks are best in transition and don't have the shooters to give Shaq the space he needs. I can envision a lineup of Shaq, KG, Allen, PP, and Nate giving teams a lot of problems in half court sets. How many teams have a center that won't give up great position so they don't have to double Shaq? Also, who do you double off with that lineup?

Quote from: Chris on July 21, 2010, 09:55:27 AM

Atlanta.  They need him more, he would have a higher profile, and he would have a bigger role all season long. 

Does he really want a bigger role, though?  He and JO could split the center spot here about 50/50 until Perk gets back.  Probably around 30 MPG for JO, 20-24 MPG for Shaq (assuming JO plays a little 4, as well).

Perk comes back, JO then also competes with BGD for some minutes at the 4.  Perk will take some time to work himself back into playing shape, get the rust off and get his timing back, so they'll be minutes for Shaq.  No issues with having a five-man big man rotation - probably be limiting KG's minutes in the season's last few months anyway, to preserve him for the playoffs.  There will still be 20MPG available for Shaq, if he's effective.

Plus, we're old, SOMEONE will get hurt. 

In the playoffs, that's when the games slow and there's a real need for a guy like Shaq. 

I can see him easily getting 20-25 minutes all season long.  Not sure his body can handle much more than that.

Quote from: Fafnir on July 21, 2010, 09:54:37 AM

Shaq wants money and playing time. I don't think Boston should offer him a ton of either.

We're already old and slow in our frontcourt. Adding Shaq to that mix would be iffy as is. I don't want to promise him 25 or so minutes when it'd be best for the team if he played 12-15.

I respectfully disagree.  Yes, we are old and slow, so let's play to our strength.  We are a very effecient team in the halfcourt, and Shaq would help with this.

Shaq could definitely get 20minutes on this team.  Outside of pick and roll defense, I think Shaq would be better than Perkins.  And he's definitely better than Jermaine O'Neal.  I would have no problem subbing O'neal in at PF at times too, and think that if anything Davis would be the odd man out.  I would absolutely love to watch that team

Quote from: Bankshot on July 21, 2010, 11:58:28 AM

Quote from: Spilling Green Dye on July 21, 2010, 11:51:05 AM

Quote from: Fafnir on July 21, 2010, 09:54:37 AM

Shaq wants money and playing time. I don't think Boston should offer him a ton of either.

We're already old and slow in our frontcourt. Adding Shaq to that mix would be iffy as is. I don't want to promise him 25 or so minutes when it'd be best for the team if he played 12-15.

I respectfully disagree.  Yes, we are old and slow, so let's play to our strength.  We are a very effecient team in the halfcourt, and Shaq would help with this.

Shaq could definitely get 20minutes on this team.  Outside of pick and roll defense, I think Shaq would be better than Perkins.  And he's definitely better than Jermaine O'Neal.  I would have no problem subbing O'neal in at PF at times too, and think that if anything Davis would be the odd man out.  I would absolutely love to watch that team

Totally agree.  I wouldn't mind Shaq at all.  I just hope we don't have to use Sheed's contract on him.  I want to use it to trade for a really good wing player.

It's been mentioned before, but it's worth mentioning again.

Anthony Parker might be considered unnecessary in Cleveland (especially if they smarten up and start cleaning house), and would be a helluva good fit here.  Hits the 3 at a very respectable clip.  Can fill in at the 2 or the 3.  Not a great player, but solid all-around guy.

So, ideal would be something like a $5-6M/yr, two-year deal for Shaq, sign-and-traded with Parker for 'Sheed's expiring contract, the two kids with the non-guaranteed contracts, and some kind of sweetener to make it worth Cleveland's while.  

The sweetener might be the tricky bit; we don't have much for attractive young players other than Big Game Davis and the rights to Avery Bradley.  

I'd have to think long and hard about giving up Davis and 'Sheed's contract for Shaq and Parker.  I love Davis, but a playoff rotation of KG/Perk/Shaq/JO is >>> KG/Perk/BGD/JO.  Parker >>> Matt Barnes or any of the other guys who are likely available.  No long-term money commitments, Parker's only a one-year, $3M deal (which is why you'd have to make it worth Cleveland's while to trade).  

That would make us a helluva improved team.  Enough bigs (maybe grab someone like Kurt Thomas for the first part of the year).  Parker as your backup wing, and re-sign Quis to be the fourth.  Nate's back; you could do a 1/2/3 rotation of Nate/Parker/Quis and have pretty complementary skillsets on the court.

Davis is a free agent at the end of the season, anyway.  May be come back.

EDIT: If Cleveland's smart, they'll be looking to use Parker's deal to start unloading crap like Boobie Gibson and his three years.  Might be able to absorb Gibson's deal, if necessary, by sign-and-trading either Scal or Quis back to Cleveland with a one-year contract (need to have at least one years' guaranteed money for a S&T to work).  Even though Cleveland wouldn't want/need either guy, it would be much better for them to pay Scal $4M for one year instead of Boobie Gibson $14M over the next three.  Think the math could be made to work.