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This past two seasons it was growing but the reality is just what it was when Shaq got here (go on, check back to my original posts when he got here) I just didn't and still do not like Shaq. I was fine with the trade because I knew we were winning it, knew it gave us a chance to compete for a championship, but Shaq has just started the subtle jabs that he does whenever he leaves a place.

A few people here want his jersey retired, some were saying we should have kept him to pay for what 'he brought miami' and overall giving him far too much credit and leeway.

At the end of the day, we rented a HOF center at the end of his career, knowing we had to pay out the back end of the contract to make him happy for the first few.

Salary:
04-05 - $27,696,430 (22.9 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.3 bpg, 60.1%FG)
We got a near MVP season from Shaq, but you know what, we paid him accordingly. This is one of the things I never got was the feeling that we OWED him in his final years for what he did in his first few years. He got payed more than any player in the league, had stats and impact accordingly. Got to the playoffs and didn't quite match his regular season output and got us to the conference finals.

05-06 - $20,000,000 (20.0 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.8 bpg, 60.0% FG)
So we got Shaq to have a pretty good, though obviously in slight decline year, didn't quite give us 20/10, missed a quarter of the season, but got payed the most or second most in the league that year. Helped us to a championship season as a second option, putting in a few mammoth games in the early rounds with some not so impressive games later on, but his presence was enough to be effective on the floor to give our best player more room. Got payed accordingly.

06-07 - $20,000,000 (17.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.4 bpg, 59.1% FG)
Shaq missed half the season, gave us poor numbers and generally let his 'shaqittude' filter through our locker room. There was no doubt that injuries played a large part in the downfall of the season, but Shaq's 'turn-it-on' attitude didn't work and you could see a lack of effort and defense in all the players from osmosis. I'm still hoping we can get that out of Wade, who often prefers to sit back and jabber at the ref than D up. He got payed somewhere in the top 4 of players in the league and gave us half the season and half the effort. We overpayed dramatically for his services this year.

07-08 - $20,000,000 (14.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.7 bpg, 58.1% FG)
So Shaq didn't have support, gave us terrible numbers, sulked, went out with injury and got his reps to demand we give him a buyout, so he could get almost all of the $60,000,000 'owed' to him AND become a FA. He bitched slapped us with an ultimatum. Instead of Riley demanding he stay and ruin his legacy, he managed to not only manufacture a trade to a contending team, but to one that was stacked with ridiculously great 3pt shooters. Probably the only way that Shaq can be of any value at this point in time. So Shaq got there and immediately started with the little jabs he is known for:

"I've never had a point guard like him," O'Neal said. "As I was telling Steve, I haven't got an easy bucket in six years."

Other things like subtle jabs at our shooters, selfishness, medical staff.

We paid you what you deserved the first two years, gave you $40 million these past two years for sweet F*** ALL production, took your laziness in preparation for seasons, your half season holidays in stride, then when you had nothing in the tank you tried to weasel $60 mill out of us for NOTHING and we were still accommodating enough to give you the type of contending team to work with, and you just take subtle jabs at the Heat now?

I appreciate Shaq helping give Miami legitimacy
I thank Shaq for his part in the championship team
I thank Shaq for helping Wade become the superstar he is

But I think we paid him in salary for all that he did, so I don't see why we can't just say F*** shaq.

He was a rental, we paid him handsomely for all the good he did us, transaction over. Both sides should be amicable. We shouldn't need to hang the jersey of a guy who gave us 3.5 seasons (2 seasons, 1.5 bad seasons), we shouldn't feel like we owe him, and he shouldn't feel the need to put us down to justify himself.

Why not just leave it alone? Why stoop to the depths of so many Laker fans years ago? Have class, rename this thread.

the man still should get his jersey retired

either that or take down the jordan please

To be perfectly fair, he HASN'T ever played with a point guard at all like Nash or of the same caliber.

And as far as easy buckets, he's had to work at being the #1 or #2 option for his entire career; in Phoenix, he'll be the #3 option at best, which will make it far easier for him to score when he does get shots.

I think you're reading a little too much into the comment.

Better? I guess there is an irony to this thread. That I do just kinda think Shaq and us are even, and we shouldn't have to worry about each other, but then I go and get all worked up and write a big thread about it.

Well, I, for one, have harbored ill-will towards Shaq ever since he (IMO it was him) drove SVG out, and he's only made that worse with half-hearted efforts.

But, uh, his constant complaining about not getting the ball enough and getting it when he needs it... And not getting easy shots? How many times did Wade draw the opponent's big and then either lob Shaq an easy alley-oop or shovel him a pass for a nice dunk? Ugh.

I'm fine with this thread, marty.

I don't have a problem with Shaq and wish him the best. Though the knowledge of him wanting a buyout does diminish him a bit in my view. TBH this was the best thing that could have happened to the Heat It is kind of how when Zo left to NJ. He was barely playing for us and his huge salary didn't help us recover. So when he left, I know some heat fans were upset. i wasn't. I wished him the best, but was relieved that the Heat could finally rebuild...I think we turned out ok that time

I wish he had given my team a ring...maybe I could be resentful towards Shaq myself...oh wait...

I think its unfair to say the heat dont owe anything to shaq, he came to the city, helped bring a ring here, something that many many teams in the nba have not even tasted championship champagne.

I think they shoould retire his jersey.

I think some of you are mistaking the word 'owe' for 'respect'. We gave Shaq $77 million dollars (assuming we paid for half this season) for a runner up MVP season, a 2nd option season that helped us to a title and 2 pretty freaking ordinary seasons. $77 million, and he tried to screw us out of $50 million by forcing a buyout.

Shaq wanted 127 million dollars for 2 seasons. Tim Duncans whole career adds up to only $103 million so far

I don't think I have ever seen the words "only" and "103 million" in the same sentence before.

If anything he owes Riley for putting him in the perfect situation.

LOL. I wrote a blog on this last night and was more scatalogical in my title as you can see. I am very disappointed in his comments. When he left LA you can see where the acrimony came from - they just lost the finals, he was feuding with Kobe, Phil wasn't coming back and the owner didn't extend him. Here, the Heat bent over backwards to kiss his ass and walked on eggshells with him.

I really hope the Heat is able to win a couple championships with the new core so I can just forget this mini Shaq era ever happened.

I appreciate the era. Just that it is widely regarded that Arison's organization did nothing wrong. It was Shaq's agent who initiated a separation. They moved him to a contender. What gives with the dissing? We don't hear stories or shots coming out from Miami's side.

The Heat organisation is respectful and classy.

"I haven't had an easy bucket in 6 years."

Has a bigger lie ever been told?

The guy has been set up for more easy buckets since 2002 than any player I've ever watched. Check out the 60% shooting percentage despite not being able to hit anything more than 2 feet from the basket and being unable to consistently create offense on his own nowadays.

Look, I'm thankful for what Shaq did for us -- particularly, occupying some space while Wade won us a championship -- but as a fan of this franchise for the past 20 years I will not tolerate him throwing his ex-teammates under a bus. Especially when he acts like he trained everyone he's played with to be great players like he's friggin Obi Wan-Kenobe ... Penny, Kobe, Wade, and now his so-called "Amare Stoudemire Experiment" when in fact they made him better just as he takes credit for making them better.

If you want respect from this franchise, you have to show respect for this franchise.

As a former military member, his line of "I am the son of a military man and we serve our enlistments" really pisses me off.

Military members do not wait for surgery to have it on "company" time, as he did with the Lakers. Military members also are not hurt so bad that they need a buyout, but six weeks later are ready to deliver a championship to another club. Military members give 100 percent in all situations and do not leave teammates out to dry.

In closing, screw Shaq.

He's just doing his thing.

Shaq wouldn't be shaq if he didn't make quips to reporters. does he really mean any of it?

I am with Marty here. I respect Shaq for "contributing" to our 1st Championship but Miami does NOT owe him anything. He got paid, and very well, for what he did. The story should end there.

Pat Riley talks about how he misses Shaq but Shaq has to always make headlines with his comments or creating drama. He sounds like an oversized Dan LeBatard!

Move on Shaq. IMO his mouth has been in check because he can't really say much about how he was handled here in Miami but somehow, someway, he is going to find a way to diss someone.