Are Heat Assinine for signing an aging Shaq to big contract?

[riverside sluggers]

Are Suns Assinine for signing againg Shaq to big contract? Thats what Im thinking anyway, no such best bet is that he is worth this much money at this tiem of his career.

 

AP Newsbreak: Heat, O'Neal agree on $100 million deal

 

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer

August 2, 2005

MIAMI (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal and the Miami Heat agreed Tuesday on a $100 million, five-year contract, one that presumably will keep the 12-time All-Star center playing past his 38th birthday

 

The deal will be signed later Tuesday, said O'Neal's agent Perry Rogers. "We wanted to make sure that Shaquille was being compensated well into his career,'' Rogers told The Associated Press. ``We also wanted to make sure he was paid his value. And it was important the Heat had flexibility they need in the short-term to win a championship. "It's about winning.''

 

O'Neal was vacationing Tuesday and not immediately available for comment. Earlier Tuesday, O'Neal opted out of the final year of his existing deal, one that would have paid him $30.6 million this coming season. The 7-foot-1, 327-pound O'Neal made an immediate impact during his first season with Miami, which acquired him in July 2004 from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for three players and a draft choice. He averaged 22.9 points and 10.4 rebounds in the regular season, leading the league with a 60.1 field goal percentage. O'Neal ranked sixth in the league in blocks (2.34 per game), double-doubles (43) and rebounds.

 

A bruised thigh, suffered late in the regular season, limited his playoff effectiveness; the Heat were the No. 1-seeded team in the East, yet lost to Detroit in Game 7 of the conference finals -- the finest postseason showing in the Heat franchise's 17-year history. O'Neal had previously led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA titles from 2000-2002.

[yankeessuck013]

I assume you mean heat, and no I don't think so...he's got a few good years left in him as long as his hamstring/thigh holds up....I expect the heat to win at least 1 NBA Championship while shaq is ini south beach

 

and if they do that money would be well worth it.

[YankeeDoodle]

Suns? When I first read it, I was thinking Phoenix...maybe it's a play-on-words that I don't get?

 

Anyways, O'Neal may be one of the most dominant centers in the NBA today, perhaps ever, but he probably cannot keep up the production that warrants this kind of big contract. And from a team's perspective, I wouldn't think that it's their responsibility to make sure that the player is well compensated - though that's nice, they have to look at the bigger picture, of managing the cap for example - how will O'Neal's $100 mil deal impact their chances of signing other players?

 

The Heat were probably a bruised thigh and an injured rib away from the Finals...so perhaps they want to tell their franchise that they want to keep competing? Not sure how long the East will continue to be watery.

 

Yeesh, will the Shaq deal ever work out for LA? Doesn't look like it. What's even more baffling is why they wanted to swap for Kwame Brown - the guy who quit on his team in the PLAYOFFS!

[riverside sluggers]

im just saying a $100 million contract for a player who since is aging is injury prone more than ever--well compensated? hes already a millionaire as it is. My thinking is that such a contract as in $100 million for a basketball player going into his 40's might come around to bite them

[CrespoBlows]

Shaq's the most dominating player in the game, so why would that be a mistake?

[YankeeDoodle]

But long-term, health is a concern for FIVE years - can he be running up-and-down the court at what's that, 38 years...young?!

 

He'll have the MBA to fall back on...whatever is he going to do with that.

 

Edit: Still a strain...

[riverside sluggers]

hey theres always a movie career for him Shazamm 2 anyone? Or how about him to utter the words again "Its hammer time!"

[YankeeDoodle]

Oh you're kidding me...athletes trying to act, I can't decide if that's worse than them trying to sing!

 

Maybe I was the only one, but I didn't think "Space Jam" was too bad. Doesn't matter if MJ was the most contrived thing in cinema that year, when you have Bugs Bunny, it just CAN'T be a bad movie.

 

Nah, that's Hammer's line!

 

Is anyone clearing cap room for LeBron? Well, I don't know that the Heat would need him since they have a stud in D-Wade.

[Manny Goes Boom]

NO, he won't be playing until he's 44 on this contract, look at the article "...playing past his 38th birthday"

 

But Shaq's a beast and NO BODY has shown any signs of being able to stop him, so I say good move.

[CrespoBlows]

Oh you're kidding me...athletes trying to act, I can't decide if that's worse than them trying to sing!

 

Maybe I was the only one, but I didn't think "Space Jam" was too bad. Doesn't matter if MJ was the most contrived thing in cinema that year, when you have Bugs Bunny, it just CAN'T be a bad movie.

 

Nah, that's Hammer's line!

 

Is anyone clearing cap room for LeBron? Well, I don't know that the Heat would need him since they have a stud in D-Wade.

 

The Cavs will throw millions about millions of dollars at LeBron, I doubt he'll leave. As for the Heat needing Lebron, I'd guess they slide LeBron at the point, and move Wade to the scoring guard.

[Manny Goes Boom]

LeBron's not playing for the MONSTER contracts, he said that on TV before. But to put him on the Heat would be absolutely crazy...

[CrespoBlows]

LeBron's not playing for the MONSTER contracts, he said that on TV before. But to put him on the Heat would be absolutely crazy...

 

What athelte would ever admit that?

[YankeeDoodle]

MGB: Ok fine, I thought I saw double fours, but I took a break and now I see clearly, but THANKS!

 

It's not a matter of somebody stopping him, but there's the physical limitation called AGING? Even MJ experienced that? So in all likelihood, with all the banging around that happens in basketball, especially given his position, most big contracts don't pan out, at least not in its entirety.

 

Really? I thought there was this big conspiracy to get LeBron to a huge media market? I kid. Whatever money he doesn't get, he can make up in those gigantic shoe contracts.

 

Isn't Wade's one weakness the three-pointer?

 

riverside sluggers: Not only did you get the wrong team in the title, you also spelled "asinine" wrong. There's no "ass" in it, my dear.