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O'Neal says he vetoed the potential trade to Portland in a conversation with Suns GM Steve Kerr, who this week dealt Shaq to the Cavaliers in exchange for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, a second-round pick in next year's draft and $500,000.

"During the middle of the season, Steve said Portland was interested," said O'Neal. "He said was I interested in going to Portland? I told him no, so he stopped that."

The Blazers, however, are adamant that they didn't try to trade for Shaq in February. "Why would we when we've got Greg (Oden) developing and we've already got (Joel) Przybilla?" said a Blazers official who asked to remain anonymous. "If were in go-for-it mode, maybe we would be more interested."
For his part, Shaq insists he was told that Portland was offering the expiring contract of Raef LaFrentz in a package for him. He made the point while congratulating Kerr for being straightforward and direct in their conversations.

"He did it 1,000 percent professional," said O'Neal. "Steve Kerr was very honest."

DirtyDez wrote:just curious, would you guys take Pryzbilla and Batum/Bayless for Shaq?

WTFsunsFTW wrote:Yeah I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. Give it time

realfung wrote:crazy

Coro: There seems to be some doubts and denials out there in regard to Ian Thomsen's si.com report about Shaquille O'Neal squelching Portland's interest in him before the trade deadline.

In the article, O'Neal talked about how Suns General Manager Steve Kerr told him Portland was interested in him before the February trade deadline and "I told him no, so he stopped that," O'Neal said.

Portland denied that it attempted to trade for O'Neal.

We believe the si.com report, mostly because we had a similar report back then: http://www.azcentral.com/sp.... As we understood it in February, the package would have included Raef LaFrentz's insurance-protected expiring contract and at least Channing Frye.

O'Neal never objected to the Cleveland talk. It was the Portland buzz that prompted him to clear out his locker, put crime tape across it and say he would "never again" talk to the media. That lasted a day.