O'Neal and Dallas

[George O'Brien]

Or maybe this "let's trade Shaq" is just another game to distract from everything else that is going on.

After all is said and done, the whole purpose of this exercise would be to let Shaq try talk to other teams to try to work out a deal. What will happen is that everyone will tell Shaq the same thing: Shaq will not be getting $30 million three years from now. There is a limit to how much teams will offer to "rent" a player for two years anyway, but they will need some assurance that Shaq will sign a reasonable contract in two years.

Kobe is not the only problem. Shaq wants to keep getting an absurd amount of money and this is a way the Lakers can call his bluff.

 

[Joe Mama]

Or maybe this "let's trade Shaq" is just another game to distract from everything else that is going on.

After all is said and done, the whole purpose of this exercise would be to let Shaq try talk to other teams to try to work out a deal. What will happen is that everyone will tell Shaq the same thing: Shaq will not be getting $30 million three years from now. There is a limit to how much teams will offer to "rent" a player for two years anyway, but they will need some assurance that Shaq will sign a reasonable contract in two years.

Kobe is not the only problem. Shaq wants to keep getting an absurd amount of money and this is a way the Lakers can call his bluff.

you know George, I was just thinking the same thing as I read through another thread. I think even Dallas would expect him to come down from that $30 million salary even if it wasn't as much as other teams would expect. Shaquille O'Neal might have been able to claim he was worth near $30 million five or six years ago, but he's not worth it now. I down most teams will think he is worth it in a few years either.

Another interesting thing to consider is where trading Shaquille O'Neal leaves the Lakers and Kobe Bryant in the future. I have a hard time believing that free agents will sacrifice salary to go to the Lakers to play with Kobe Bryant. I also don't think the Lakers centered around Kobe Bryant will be a very good team unless they can get them very good players in a trade for Shaq. For example Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant, and Antwawn Jamison might get the Lakers in the playoffs, but I doubt they get home-court advantage.

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

The Dallas papers are certainly all over this.

Dallas News: Mavs interested, but what would it take to land Shaq?

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

Mark Cuban has never been shy about throwing his money into a high-stakes race for talent, and it's no different now, as the gate opens in the Shaquille O'Neal derby.

More Mavericks
Cuban and the Mavericks, along with every other owner and team in the NBA, have an interest in making a run at O'Neal. The $27 million question is what package of players can Dallas throw at the Los Angeles Lakers to beat out so many other suitors who figure to offer attractive players in hopes of getting the most dominant center in the game.

The Mavericks probably are going to have to be willing to part with Dirk Nowitzki. Such is the price for O'Neal, who earns $26.696 million this year.

But the good news is that the Mavericks are one of the few teams in the league who can offer two All-Stars and still have a better team for next season with O'Neal.

Teams wanting to trade for O'Neal will have to put together a package of players that ends up within 15 percent of O'Neal's annual salary, which goes up to over $30 million July 1.

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FIVE WAYS THE MAVERICKS CAN BRING SHAQ TO BIG D

Based on current salaries, Staff Writer Eddie Sefko runs down some of the possibilities the Mavericks have to entice the Lakers:


SCENARIO 1: Antawn Jamison, Antoine Walker and Josh Howard for O'Neal
This would be the most palatable option for the Mavericks because it would allow them to keep the Big Three and add O'Neal. The three Mavericks' salaries add up to $25.6 million, which is within the required 15 percent of O'Neal's salary.


SCENARIO 2: Dirk Nowitzki, Walker and Howard for O'Neal
The numbers add up the same as the Walker/Jamison/ Howard scenario. Clearly, the Mavericks would rather not give up Nowitzki. Pairing him with O'Neal would be a dream setup. But the Lakers may demand Dirk.


SCENARIO 3: Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Walker and Howard for O'Neal and Gary Payton
Payton's salary takes the Lakers' outlay to $32 million. Nowitzki, Walker and Howard add up to $25.6 million, which means Nash would have to be re-signed at a salary starting at under $10 million for the first season.


SCENARIO 4: Nowitzki, Walker and Tariq Abdul-Wahad for O'Neal
The Mavericks would relieve themselves of Abdul-Wahad's salary for the next three seasons. Doubtful that the Lakers would bite on something like this.


SCENARIO 5: Michael Finley, Nowitzki and Eduardo Najera or Shawn Bradley for O'Neal
Highly unlikely the Lakers would want to take on Finley's remaining contract, which is $66 million for the next four seasons.


MAVERICKS SALARIES
Player 2003-04 2004-05
Antoine Walker $13.5 million $14.625 million
Michael Finley $13.281 million $14.609 million
Dirk Nowitzki $11.326 million $12.584 million
Antawn Jamison $11.326 million $12.584 million
Tariq Abdul-Wahad $6.18 million $6.75 million
Danny Fortson $5.247 million $5.922 million
Shawn Bradley $3.5 million $4 million
Eduardo Najera $3.428 million $3.809 million
Tony Delk $2.925 million $3.15 million
Josh Howard $773,440 $823,640
All other Mavericks are no longer under contract and would have to be re-signed to be included in any trade.