2010 Offseason Prediction: Shaq Will Be Back

[Mamba Venom]

Total off-season thread

I love how young and prime this Laker squad is. Last years Lakers where one of the youngest championship teams! We have 3+ years on the Spurs and Celtics. With that being said I see the Lakers up to their old contender tricks.

Next year I think the Lakers will add depth by adding some ring chasing vets...

The first name that comes to everybodys mind is that old croc (in PJs words) Shaq. Shaq wants to come home and play nice. He has been pushing to come home back to Cali for a while and many think he will sign for the vets minimum to win another championship.

If he does come back I think he will have a role similar to ZO on the 2006 champion Heat team.

I also think Fish will come back and play for the minimum if he doesnt decide to retire after this season.

The Lakers should get 2 quality vets that want to win another championship for cheap. I don't mind ring chasing when players are coming back to play for their home team.

Wouldn't it feel natural to have Shaq Fish and Kobe (Lakers dynasty 3.0) play with Lakers dynasty 4.0???

Would Shaq coming back intrigue Jackson enough to come back also and coach some great talent??? Maybe go for the all-time record and hopefully finish a 4th 3-peat.

[Mamba Venom]

If Kobe let Shaq come back wouldn't it show what a good teammate and former teammate he is... that he is the bigger person and that to Kobe basketball it is all about winning.

It would have a theme of redemption and brothers turned enemies turned brothers again... very epic

To clarify... the All-time record reference = 73+ wins, single digit loses (PJ already has broken all the other records)

[Dexmor]

Total off-season thread

I love how young and prime this Laker squad is. Last years Lakers where one of the youngest championship teams! We have 3+ years on the Spurs and Celtics. With that being said I see the Lakers up to their old contender tricks.

Next year I think the Lakers will add depth by adding some ring chasing vets...

The first name that comes to everybodys mind is that old croc (in PJs words) Shaq. Shaq wants to come home and play nice. He has been pushing to come home back to Cali for a while and many think he will sign for the vets minimum to win another championship.

If he does come back I think he will have a role similar to ZO on the 2006 champion Heat team.

I also think Fish will come back and play for the minimum if he doesnt decide to retire after this season.

The Lakers should get 2 quality vets that want to win another championship for cheap. I don't mind ring chasing when players are coming back to play for their home team.

Wouldn't it feel natural to have Shaq Fish and Kobe (Lakers dynasty 3.0) play with Lakers dynasty 4.0???

Would Shaq coming back intrigue Jackson enough to come back also and coach some great talent??? Maybe go for the all-time record and hopefully finish a 4th 3-peat.

.............................


Well I would think it would be great basketball wise, also i unlike most of you am not ready to retire Derek Fisher yet. I think he has a couple years left.

[Dexmor]

I heard Shaq is looking for a 2 year deal after this. One last big contract. Maybe he just wants to go back to the lakers though. I could see it.

[all-day_]

SHAQ would be excellent bynum insurance. allowing odom to play a role he is perfect for. 6th man.

COME BACK SHAQ. KOBE CAN CARRY THE LOAD IN THIS THREE PEAT!! wonder if horry still wants to play hahahahaha. he could fill the large shoes left by the great sun yue. lets get him to 10 ships

[Hilltop]

Sounds ambitious at first, but I could really see that happening...

[Dexmor]

He's to old.

[CowsMoo]

If Shaq is humble enough, in shape, and motivated, then absolutely yes. I think even though he's old, if he's in decent shape, he can still be a force.

[semi-sentient]

People act is if Shaq is wanted here and somehow has a choice in the matter.

Neither Buss or Kobe would welcome him back, especially if we repeat. What would they need him for, exactly? He's burning bridges everywhere he goes and there's nothing he can say or do that would change his standing with Buss (especially) or Kobe.

So anyway, no thanks. I grew quite tired of Shaq's sorry ass attitude and 3rd grade humor while he was still here and now that he's just a shell of his former self I'd rather see him elsewhere desperately trying to get another ring.

[dockingsched]

People act is if Shaq is wanted here and somehow has a choice in the matter.

Neither Buss or Kobe would welcome him back, especially if we repeat. What would they need him for, exactly? He's burning bridges everywhere he goes and there's nothing he can say or do that would change his standing with Buss (especially) or Kobe.

So anyway, no thanks. I grew quite tired of Shaq's sorry ass attitude and 3rd grade humor while he was still here and now that he's just a shell of his former self I'd rather see him elsewhere desperately trying to get another ring.

+1

[djericho]

there's a difference between Shaq and Zo.

Zo has better off season work ethic. Dude came off kidney disease and a kidney transplant and warriored through it all. Shaq is a character who does tv series or raps in the off season.

Shaq will go down as prolly one of the most dominant centers ever, but he's on the decline. He needs serious minutes off the bench to get back into shape since he does little work in the off season.

Also how Shaq disrespected Buss. Look @ what Buss did holding out on Lamar after not hearing from him and his agent. If shaq wears purple and gold again it will be because he seriously humbled himself.

I don't think it matters to Kobe as long as shaq knows he's the man.

[miggs]

Shaq back in P&G makes me smile instantly but then i immediately think about his role, Bynum's back up. Then the problem hits like a 20 ton boulder! CAN SHAQ'S EGO ACCEPT A BACK-UP ROLE TO BYNUM? CAN SHAQ CO-EXIST WITH THIS LAKERS SQUAD?

There's so many risks and intangibles with Shaq that it's hard to say no or yes, idk i find myself stuck in the middle. my fear is his ego stuns Bynum's growth, i mean the kid isn't too tough mentally yet.

[DEEP3CL]

I agree with semi-sentient, let Kobe build his own history without Shaq.

[TonyMontana]

People act is if Shaq is wanted here and somehow has a choice in the matter.

Neither Buss or Kobe would welcome him back, especially if we repeat. What would they need him for, exactly? He's burning bridges everywhere he goes and there's nothing he can say or do that would change his standing with Buss (especially) or Kobe.

So anyway, no thanks. I grew quite tired of Shaq's sorry ass attitude and 3rd grade humor while he was still here and now that he's just a shell of his former self I'd rather see him elsewhere desperately trying to get another ring.

Im a Laker fan and I want him here. Believe me I do. I want him to end his career in LA. A token of my appreciation as a Laker fan.

Also for a man that preaches about loyalty and commitment (Lamar threads) you have a lot of hate towards the guy who was ONE of the main reasons we won our threepeats.

As far as Kobe and Buss, ya Kobe might have a some problems with Shaqs return, but if Shaq decides to come to LA and end his career in LA for min. I think Buss would jump on the idea. Buss is all about business, if Shaq can help him bring one or two more title then I doubt Buss will say no.
Kobe on the other hand has never held a grudge against Shaq, at least not publicaly,.

Im sure they are not best of friends but I think Kobe does realize that LA is his now and nobody elses so I doubt that he will be intimdated by Shaqs exsistance here in LA, and honestly I think Kobe will welcome Shaq for a reunion with Fish since all three were a part of one of the greatest championships in Laker history.

Also what Shaq has done in his past post threepeat wasnt and isnt excpetable BUT....... With the positive things he has brought to LA like our threepeats I think overrides all the nonesense and childish things he did when he left.

Just my two cents. But I do see Shaq returning to LA and I see it happening real soon, and Im all for it.

[Dexmor]

Kobe always sas he lets management take care of personal.
If he came back for the min you have to take him.

[semi-sentient]

Also for a man that preaches about loyalty and commitment (Lamar threads) you have a lot of hate towards the guy who was ONE of the main reasons we won our threepeats.

I didn't preach anything about loyalty and commitment. I wanted Odom back because it keeps us as favorites whether Bynum plays well or not, and that's about the only thing I'm interested in. Heck I even mentioned that I'd be all for a Odom/Haslem swap if we didn't want him back.

As for Shaq...

It's not that I hate Shaq; it's that I don't respect him. He could have been the GOAT if he had taken basketball a little more seriously and put in the effort. I also don't particularly like how he continually disrespects players around the league either, whether they be up-and-coming players or future hall-of-famers. What he did for the Lakers back in the day is greatly appreciated, but quite frankly it's irrelevant to what this team is trying to accomplish in the coming years. The Lakers don't owe him anything and I don't think they need to throw someone like him in the mix just for the hell of it.

[Dexmor]

Also for a man that preaches about loyalty and commitment (Lamar threads) you have a lot of hate towards the guy who was ONE of the main reasons we won our threepeats.

I didn't preach anything about loyalty and commitment. I wanted Odom back because it keeps us as favorites whether Bynum plays well or not, and that's about the only thing I'm interested in. Heck I even mentioned that I'd be all for a Odom/Haslem swap if we didn't want him back.

As for Shaq...

It's not that I hate Shaq; it's that I don't respect him. He could have been the GOAT if he had taken basketball a little more seriously and put in the effort. I also don't particularly like how he continually disrespects players around the league either, whether they be up-and-coming players or future hall-of-famers. What he did for the Lakers back in the day is greatly appreciated, but quite frankly it's irrelevant to what this team is trying to accomplish in the coming years. The Lakers don't owe him anything and I don't think they need to throw someone like him in the mix just for the hell of it.

I agree. If Shaq had Kobe/Jordan ethic he would have been soooooooooo good.

With that said I am gonna stay in the now and look at whats best for the team. Whats best DJ as the backup or Shaq? Got to go with Shaq.

[joe.linnen]

So we could loke something line this:
SF:Artest/Walton
PF:Gasol/Odom/Powell
C:Bynum/O'Neal/Mbenga
SG:Bryant/Vujacic
PG:Brown/Farmar/Fisher

This way Shaq could stay healthy for the whole season because he would play less minutes and still be a beats with him and Odom leadint the bench

[Dexmor]

So we could loke something line this:
SF:Artest/Walton
PF:Gasol/Odom/Powell
C:Bynum/O'Neal/Mbenga
SG:Bryant/Vujacic
PG:Brown/Farmar/Fisher

This way Shaq could stay healthy for the whole season because he would play less minutes and still be a beats with him and Odom leadint the bench

I like that you didn't retire FIsher or put Morrison on the team.

[hermes]

no to shaq

why would we want him back, has he changed?