If you were Lakers Owner Jerry Buss in 2004, would you have signed Shaq to the 2 yr/$60M extension he asked for?

[The4thHorseman]

Picking Shaq would mean losing Kobe. So no.

You always take the young superstar over the 30+ star who was already on the decline. Shaq by 2004 could no longer anchor a team.

Picking Kobe also meant they were losing Phil Jackson. He had stated he wasn't sticking around if Kobe was still going to be with LA. Then as we know Kobe demanded a trade 3yrs later when things weren't going so well without those two.

[-Luke-]

Picking Shaq would mean losing Kobe. So no.

You always take the young superstar over the 30+ star who was already on the decline. Shaq by 2004 could no longer anchor a team.

[Masigond]

I mean I voted that i would have resigned shaq but acknowledged it would have been a huge mistake, I'm essentially saying I would have made a huge mistake picking shaq.

Same with me. The Lakers were close in 2004, so I would have given them another run in 2005, hoping for the best (meaning Kobe re-signing, him and Shaq somehow getting along, and signing necessary pieces i.e. ring chasers, and eventually trading Shaq later). In hindsight with great propability it would not have worked out and thus would have been a mistake. Even though the years after Shaq's trade were awful anyway.

[Sixers in 4]

The trade was pretty awful that was the bigger problem. Getting only Odom and Butler back

[Yank3525]

I mean I voted that i would have resigned shaq but acknowledged it would have been a huge mistake, I'm essentially saying I would have made a huge mistake picking shaq.

Same with me. The Lakers were close in 2004, so I would have given them another run in 2005, hoping for the best (meaning Kobe re-signing, him and Shaq somehow getting along, and signing necessary pieces i.e. ring chasers, and eventually trading Shaq later). In hindsight with great propability it would not have worked out and thus would have been a mistake. Even though the years after Shaq's trade were awful anyway.

That wasn't going to happen.

Kobe isn't staying if they kept Shaq.

[jowglenn]

They did the right thing and history has proven them correct. Sure, they had a few wilderness years, with Kobe chucking up shots next to Smush Parker and Kwame Brown, but then they righted the ship, built around Kobe and rattled off multiple Finals and championships.

Five years after they let Shaq go, Kobe was winning rings.

[JustBuzzin]

Yes I would have but otoh they did know he would fall off due to lack of conditioning.

I think they were just tired of his bs honestly and Kobe was a better horse to bet on. Kobe REALLY hated Shaq by that point due to the hazing and harassment Shaq engaged in, so the real issue was that one of Shaq or Kobe had to go. They chose correctly.

Kobe how my a** taste was the most disrespectful thing you can tell another man lol

[Masigond]

That wasn't going to happen.

Kobe isn't staying if they kept Shaq.

That's the narrative. I'm not that sure about that as it would have meant Kobe leaving 30 million on the table to sign with the friggin' Donald Sterling Clippers.
It would have been very interesting how that would have worked out for him playing for a franchise with a cheap owner who choked off every hint of success his team could have had.

The more likely scenario would have been that Kobe leaving in a sign-and-trade, thus not losing money, and in return the Lakers would have gotten something. Maybe enough to make a serious run for another championship in 2005 with Phil Jackson staying as coach (who wanted his salary doubled, so another quite expensive decision to make).

But as I said: Given what we've seen develop in the following years with keeping Bryant (which was financially obviously a good decision due to his popularity) and then building another two-time championship team it would likely have been the worse decision. Shaq got too prone to injury and would not have been worth that extension. So essentially it would have meant throwing out a lot of money for arguably at most one or two chances for another title, with no guarantee at all that it would have worked out.

[NCHeels2008]

I would have resigned him but it seems it would have been a mistake based on how fast he declined and also how poorly the Lakers rebuild timeline matched up to his remaining peak years left. Lakers end up with 1 more title in the 2000's probably instead of 2 they got from kobe-pau

not even sure they get one considering Shaq's lack of conditioning

[Black Jack]

Yes I would have but otoh they did know he would fall off due to lack of conditioning.

I think they were just tired of his bs honestly and Kobe was a better horse to bet on. Kobe REALLY hated Shaq by that point due to the hazing and harassment Shaq engaged in, so the real issue was that one of Shaq or Kobe had to go. They chose correctly.

Kobe how my a** taste was the most disrespectful thing you can tell another man lol

Its worse than that, did you read the stories about how he used to haze dudes? that wasn't just something he said...

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2427994

[JustBuzzin]

Yes I would have but otoh they did know he would fall off due to lack of conditioning.

I think they were just tired of his bs honestly and Kobe was a better horse to bet on. Kobe REALLY hated Shaq by that point due to the hazing and harassment Shaq engaged in, so the real issue was that one of Shaq or Kobe had to go. They chose correctly.

Kobe how my a** taste was the most disrespectful thing you can tell another man lol

Its worse than that, did you read the stories about how he used to haze dudes? that wasn't just something he said...

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2427994

Yeah crazy stuff

[Bornstellar]

Shaq was not the best player in the NBA by 2004

[Jagic Mohnson]

I doubt Buss would give Shaq money after Shaq kept yelling at him, pay me mother effer during a preseason game. That is wild. Imagine if Giannis yelled and cursed at his team owner during a game.

[MiamiBulls]

Shaq in May 2005 on Jerry Buss,

“I needed a real owner — like Micky Arison. Not a guy who parties with girls that are three times younger.”

“When you are 60, hang out with 60-year-olds, not 20-year-olds,” advised the two-time scoring leader, adding, “That is all I got to say about Jerry Buss,” he mentioned.

[Dominator83]

The only real mistake the Lakers made was not asking for Dwayne Wade. I believe if the Lakers asked for Wade + fillers, the Heat would do it and roll the dice with Caron Butler + Odom + Shaq.

No they wouldn't, that was younger and sharper Pat Riley, one of the best basketball minds in history, he knew exactly what he had and what he was trading for.

Dwayne Wade was a rookie who put up 16/4/4 as a 21 yo. He was also not a hyped up prospect like LeBron or Melo. The equivalent would be if Philly wants Giannis, and the Bucks demanded Jared McCain.

Wade had just carried them to a playoff series win. I honestly don't think Wade was ever on the table. Riley knew what he had

[Optms]

The trade was pretty awful that was the bigger problem. Getting only Odom and Butler back

Heat refused to cough up Wade.

[Dominator83]

The trade was pretty awful that was the bigger problem. Getting only Odom and Butler back

Ehh. Shaq really only had 1 prime year left, and Odom was an X-factor type on those two championship teams. Butler got them Kwame Brown, and while this only applies to the Lakers, Kwame Brown was enough to get them prime Pau Gasol

[LakersLegacy]

O’Neal had yelled pay me and stared Buss down repeatedly in pre-season in front of many so loudly

Buss chose 2 with Bryant instead of losing 1 with O’Neal
after Shaq had told Bryant and the Lakers that the BIBLE was not accurate and got into some strange things saying JESUS quotes were fake while having a rivalry with Bryant who is Catholic School educated.

O’Neal was also not allowed to return in 2010 to either the Miami Heat or the LA Lakers due to unprofessional actions.