Sources: Shaq wants to be traded
With the Suns on a four-game losing streak and losing ground in the hopes of even making the playoffs, you knew something like this was coming. Buried in a column about the future of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the L.A. Times‘ Mark Heisler drops this potential bomb:
Oh, and Shaq, who’s still broadcasting his love for Phoenix, is saying privately he wants out, upset to the highest level of upsetivity, as he once said, at almost being traded, or the team’s return to running, or both.
This was in the middle of talking about the Cavs possibly re-exploring the Shaq trade that fell through at the February deadline, and of the Suns looking to (naturally) cut costs.
Almost everybody loves Shaq, but if there’s any truth to this, he’s really starting to develop a reputation for bolting as soon as a situation gets tough for him. It’s totally understandable how, at 37, he’s strictly looking for another ring and isn’t interested in spinning his wheels for a team with no chance at winning one, but something’s got to be said for commitment. It’s not like Shaq chose to go to Phoenix, but he did tell the entire world this is where he wants to be and promised to deliver a championship.
If nothing else, though, it represents a definite shift in the way we look at Shaq. At this stage in his career he’s more prone to contender-hopping — whereas he used to be the guy who made a team into a contender.
Source: Los Angeles Times
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March 10th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
kevin k says:
so what’s new?
March 10th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Allan says:
He will always be known as a whiner and and idiot who will never earn my respect. I only liked him when he started his career with Orlando and of course when he played for the Lakers my favorite team, but other than that Shaq has proven that he is immature and undisciplined to be mentioned in the same breath as classy and hall of famer big men such as Tim Duncan, Hakeem, Jabber, Russel, Chamberlain . . . .
March 10th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
iannyb says:
Shaq aint nun but a bitch.Amazing how he and Kobe didn’t like each other KNUCKLEHEADS
March 10th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Gary says:
it’s sad when someone of his stature is chasing his legend. He’s the 4th best center ever. Wilt had the 100, Russell has the Rings, Kareem has the MVPs and Points. What does Shaq really have? The most personality? The most disgruntled? The most selfish? The most nicknames? Thinking about it . . I might even put Hakeem above Shaq . . .
March 10th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
JJ says:
Funny how the LA Times and LA media can’t get over Shaq won another ring without kobe.
Shaq NEVER promised Phoenix a ring. He was asked specificially at his first press conference as a Sun and his answer was “We’ll see once I play with the guys, but I’ll make Amare better..” Put words into Shaq’s mouth to make him look bad is low. Shaq is not a saint, but don’t make up stuff now. Lakers needs to accept kobe won’t win another ring without shaq or an equal of shaq leading the way.
March 10th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
karizmatic says:
Shaq is 37, of course he doesn’t want to play for squads rebuilding or on the verge of rebuilding…he shouldn’t have “injured” himself out of Miami, they could have been a contender this year the way Wade and Shaq are playing.
March 10th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Ian says:
i always thought kobe was the one to blame for the la crap but damn shaq everyday does something to prove me wrong. how can this bitch be called an alltime great. last season wasnt he pointing at his ring to the suns fans. dude shut the fuck up and carry a team on your own for once. shitt let me guess after he leaves he gonna trash nash and amare he prob wants to be traded to the spurs lakers celts or cavaliers u know the crappy teams he will have a chance to carry to a title.
March 10th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Austin Burton ... now on Twitter says:
@JJ — So when Shaq appeared at Phoenix’s arena for the game right after the trade and pointed to his ring finger, he was just letting everyone know he’s married?
March 10th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Ian says:
gary 4th??? you are being to generous i can give 6-7 more centers that could win and get ALONG with penny , kobe and wade.
March 10th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Ian says:
@8
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
March 10th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Ian says:
like i said someone asks me in 20 years to tell them about shaq ill say hes the fat bitch that threw everyone under the bus when he left a team and usually ended up being sweept out of the playoffs for real that has to be a record.
March 10th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Big Island says:
I love Shaq, but I am starting to fall out of love with him. He didn’t turn as quickly as Garnett turned to bully in Boston, but he has kept the same “big dog” stance when he just isn’t what he used to be.
It really does chap LA’s ass that Shaq got one with Miami though.
March 10th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Big Sia says:
Shaq > Dime Magazine
March 10th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
doc says:
Shaq always bitching about something.
March 10th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
doc says:
They should call him the big vagina.
March 10th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Steve A says:
Its funny how some people believe always responding to someone saying something about them makes them look “tough” and that “no one should mess with them”. And thinking how others would be impressed by this act. When in reality, as all these posts state, no one is impressed by Shaq always doing this. He is repeatedly making himself look bad.
March 10th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Lol i thought about that too Austin.. everyone wet buck wild when he that in Phoenix.. and i couldve sworn he did promise a championship.. didnt he text Amare and Nash with that shit before he even got here?? i dunno..
But i couldnt have said this years back as adamantly because i wouldve been eaten alive.. but Shaq really was the problem with the LA Bullshit.. Kobe was already the premiere perimeter player when Shaq was there but Shaq constantly blamed shit on Kobe and, through the media mind you, belittled him almost every chance he got.. and you expect someone to work UNDER that?? then he got out of shape and still complained he wasnt getting the ball enough.. If Shaq was a real man he wouldve at least given Kobe the IDEA he was the man but still he wanted to be the Diesel.. AND he wanted a MAX contract.. he was never trying to give Kobe his time in the sun..
F’ him at least this year you can all see what i been seeing.. an egotistical, little ass kid who cant even take it.. oh he can dish it, but he damn sure cant take it..
March 10th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
Honestly, if Shaq is only worried about another title then he should sign with San An once his huge contract expires. If all he really wants is another ring than who better than the Duncan/Ginobli/Parker stock? Shaq can fill Oberto’s shoes in his sleep, he wont be able to ask for the ball as much though
March 10th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
POPPI GEE says:
If this is true, that means Sun’s players, staff and coaches the bus is coming…get ready to get thrown under it.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:19 am
quest??? says:
shaq has earned his right to bitch about anything he wants. i bet you no one here will tell shaq hes a bitch to his face.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:39 am
S-SiN says:
sorry haters, gotta ride wit Big Daddy yet again.. too high to type why
March 11th, 2009 at 12:45 am
S-SiN says:
@doc
big vagina? cmon dog
i used to know a redhead hillbilly who used to call him SNATCH… and wore his reeboks..
March 11th, 2009 at 1:16 am
K.i.n.G. says:
agreein with S-SIN im in the back of Shaq’s school bus while the sun’s organization gets trampled
March 11th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Jsmoove says:
In all fairness, Suns management has done a pretty good job of F’ing up what they had going. If they were really concerned about winning rather than cutting costs they wouldn’t have dumped all the players they did. Also, the Porter hiring was a bad choice – They’re supposed to just turn into a defensive team because they bring in a coach that knows nothing about the offensive end of the floor? They should have known their personel better, its hard to improve defensively when Nash can’t keep any one from blowing by him and getting into the paint. While we’re talkin bout personel, how does a team with the personel the suns have not do better? Nash, Amare, Barbosa, Shaq, JRich, Barnes? It ain’t shaq’s fault the suns are imploding – if anything he’s one of the few players keeping them afloat right now.