It’s Time For Shaq To Retire
Shaq (photo. Chenoa Maxwell)
While Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most dominating big men in NBA history, I think serious consideration needs to be put into whether he will be playing next year. While O’Neal will likely end up somewhere next year as a spot starter or backup, I think it is time for Shaq to bow out.
At 38, he is the league’s oldest active player and his signs of age are everywhere. Shaq has been injured frequently the past few years, missing too many games for him to truly establish a rhythm. He also appears lazy on defense, and especially on the boards. Kevin Garnett and the rest of the Celtics beat him too often to rebounds, or Shaq’s boxout was so poor that they barely had to make an effort to track down the ball. While Shaq’s age is clearly showing on the court in his declining productivity, that is not the primary reason he should hang it up.
Shaq’s outsized persona, and his penchant to be the center of attention have alienated many teammates in the past few years. In Miami, he parted ways bitterly particularly with star Dwyane Wade and coach Pat Riley. In Phoenix, he tried so hard to prove he was still capable of putting up big numbers that he failed to fit into the “team” concept, and was not on great terms with star guard Steve Nash when he left. While he didn’t alienate King James during his brief tenure in Cleveland, he still didn’t produce near the level he used to.
While there is some talk of Shaq going to the Nets to play in his hometown of Newark, I pray that doesn’t happen. As a die-hard Nets fan, the last thing that team needs is Shaq coming in and taking up the spotlight from a team that needs to move ahead in time with Brook Lopez as the face of the franchise, and not back in time with a washed-up former superstar as the latest in Brett Yormark‘s marketing tricks for the team.
However, saying all this, I would love to see Shaq sign on with the Nets as an assistant coach. He could mentor Lopez, while simultaneously promoting the Nets and Newark without the clogging up the court in an offense that will hopefully be run by Devin Harris and John Wall next year, and messing with the chemistry of a team of young players. So Shaq, do us all a favor and retire gracefully as opposed to shuffling through teams like you’ve done the past few years. You’ll thank me later.
What do you think? Should Shaq keep playing or should he retire?
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May 18th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Go somewhere and be irrelevant..
Or retire.. either way his days on a contender are over unless he accepts a backup role with low minutes..
We Laker fans appreciate the glory days but dude let his head get in the way of a LEGACY that wouldve been unmatched.. he let it get to the point he turned into a petulent child..
And the sad part is he didnt learn from LA.. he did the same thing in Miami.. to a lesser extent PHX and who knows what will be said in CLE after he departs..
Truly a case of the ego being bigger than the man.. and he was big MOFO to boot..
May 18th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
dukesman says:
Hey Dime,
I know this is unrelated to the thread but did you guys hear about the story/rumor that is running around on the internet about Lebron’s mother sleeping with teammate Delonte West? Is there any truths to that? Also, be careful about running that story because I heard Lebron is sic-ing his goons of lawyers on anyone who runs the story.
May 18th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
Kermit The Washington says:
Definitely time to retire.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/featured/11419/index.htm?eref=sircrc&eref=sisf
May 18th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
Jeremiah Togstad says:
“However, saying all this, I would love to see Shaq sign on with the Nets as an assistant coach. He could mentor Lopez…”
You really think Shaq can be a good assistant coach? What is he gonna teach Robin?
Asst. Coach Shaq: “Alright Robin. First thing Coach Shaq needs you to do is gain 150 pounds. Then dunk it 10 times a game on anyone and everyone in your path. Then do a couple jump hooks here and there. Make sure you miss at least half your free throws though.”
May 18th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
karizmatic says:
I agree now is probably the right time for Shaq to retire, this almost certainly means that he won’t, because there aren’t too many athletes who retire at exactly the right time. I don’t think he should be an assistant coach though, I just don’t think Shaq is capable of coaching anyone properly. And I do believe that Shaq’s presence on the team caused some serious issues for the Cavs. For instance Shaq really wasn’t needed in the Boston series and maybe Mike Brown new that, but how do you manage Shaq’s need to be the center of attention and get minutes in situations where he really shouldn’t, if you cut his minutes you have an angry Shaq who then won’t produce when he is needed.
In any case I think all of this just means the game has passed him by and it’s time for him to hang it up. Definitely one of the two top post players of the last 10 years, and arguably one of the two top players of the last 10 years period. He’s had a great career.
May 18th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
SJ says:
My money is on him following LeBron wherever he goes/stays. Shaq wants another ring.
May 18th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
fallinup says:
Shaq desperately wants another ring for no other reason than to add onto his ‘greatness’. His ego has driven him since the beginning. And barring injury, or another chip… he won’t retire until he says so.
With that said. Yeah, long gone are his days of being a dominant factor. But he’s gotta get at least a little credit for still being NBA worthy (meaning he could still score on a good number of today’s centers)… at 37.
Not too many centers can hang on that long.
And I for one will miss him when he’s finally gone. He’s one of a kind.
May 18th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
knicks4ever says:
Can we call him “THE BIG FAILURE”
May 18th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
trey bing bay says:
“THE BIG FAILURE” Coming from a knicks fan…..haha……..ha!
I think it is time for him to retire but I guess only he knows how much he’s got left in his massive tank.
May 18th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Bruce says:
Do we see his number in the rafters, along with the other Lakers greats?
May 18th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Bruce says:
Go to the Nets — Shaq, Yi, and Brook Lopez. Three 7-Footers to dominate!
May 18th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Ianny b says:
To Shaq I would say “GTFOH b*&ch
May 18th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
daddy dolalrs says:
Shaq should not retire but should go to
1. San Antonio
2. Denver
3. Atlanta
4. Dallas
May 18th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
POPPI GEE says:
The Big Dookie needs to go to Orlando. They got P.E. to teach Dwight but Dwight’s game needs to be more Shaq that Ewing. Or either let him go to Houston and put some toughness in Yao.
I would like to see him in either of those situations but only as a mentor coach. Otherwise he should have left after Miami and went out on top.
Did yall see how old Shaq looked on the cover of, I think it was SI might have been something else. Dude looked like someone’s grandpa.
May 18th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
netstar says:
if isiah thomas was still a GM, he would give shaq a max contract
May 18th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Diego says:
Agree with post 13; there are still a few such teams that could use some extra bulk.
If the price is right, I would be game for the Hawks signing him…he might be a bench upgrade over Jason Collins.
May 18th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
danocasa says:
The interesting thing with Shaq is that with each team he leaves on bad terms allows his legacy to develop a sort of evil tint to it. Shaq wasnt the bad guy in LA, Kobe was the enigmatic, uncoachable child, Pat Riley forced him out of Miami, him not meshing well with the Suns was because of front office turmoil and coaching decisions. It seems like all of those initial thoughts have turned completely around. Could it be that Shaq was really the huge d-bag in all those situations? Seems like it. Retire Shaq, you are only hurting yourself by hanging around.
May 18th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
Cal says:
Now this article I couldn’t agree with more. Shaq at this point in his career is less than a shell of himself. You know the part of the eggshell that always falls in the yolk when you trying to scramble the eggs. Thats Shaq.
The guy just can’t hack it anymore.
It’s painful to watch. Everytime he’s on the court I just hope and pray he doesn’t embarrass himself. He has a 3 inch vertical. Sad thing is though if your team had no interest in winning and fed the guy the ball everytime down court he’d average 20 and 10 on a losing team. Maybe he should go to the Nets.
http://diaryofatiredblackman.wordpress.com/
May 18th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
heino skovgaard says:
let him be a back up any where but cavs.he will also have to take a HUGE pay cut next year-
May 18th, 2010 at 9:10 pm
cesar says:
lol @15!!
hahahahahaha
May 19th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
kowtz says:
Shaq should retire before he gets another nickname…
Shaq,” “The Diesel,” “Shaq Fu,” “The Big Aristotle,” “The Big Daddy,” “Superman,” “The Big Agave,” “The Big Cactus,” “The Big Shaqtus,” “The Big Galactus,” “Wilt Chamberneezy,” “The Big Baryshnikov,” “The Real Deal,” “Dr. Shaq” (after earning his MBA), and, most recently, “Shaqovic.”, “Big Aristotle”, “Hobo Master”
Then again, as long as Kwame Brown and Darko Milicic has a contract, why should Shaq retire???
Maybe he should go to the MAVS…