Variant on Shaq vs. Jordan

[shawngoat23]

You are Jerry Krause, and the year is 1995. Your Bulls, featuring Jordan (who had just come out of retirement for less than two months) and Pippen, had just been eliminated by a young, but talented, Orlando Magic team featuring studs like Shaq, Penny, Grant, Scott, and Anderson.

The Magic front office has just offered you Shaq for Jordan. You're still in contention mode, but if you accept, you lose your face of the franchise and the best player in the league, one with whom Pippen has great chemistry.

If you refuse the trade, you miss out on a terror inside who will eat up the team for the next decade or so. You are stuck with Jordan, who at the time seems to have lost a step after not having played much for the last two years. Furthermore, he may have commitment issues to the game. Who else quits in the middle of his prime?

Putting aside your personal tension with Michael Jordan, do you take the offer?

Edit: Try not to use hindsight.

[shawngoat23]

I go with Shaq.

[ronnymac2]

wow neva thought about this....not taking hindsight into account, i'd probably have to go with shaq. He's younger plus got to the finals before. Pairing him with pippen would be really interesting. Also, jordan might just leave again.

If it was just jordan in those prime years vs. young shaq, id take jordan. but taking shaq's upside into account with jordan's unpredictability, i would go with shaq in this situation.

[ronnymac2]

o yea. how coool would these combos be?

rodman, shaq, pippen...what a frontcourt.

jordan, hardaway...great backcourt.

[kooldude]

a young Shaq had GOAT potential written all over him. I would went with a 23 yr old Shaq over a 32 yr old Jordan, assuming I can re-sign him.

[shawngoat23]

rodman, shaq, pippen...what a frontcourt.

Not only that, but Kukoc no longer has to come off the bench if you want to slide Pippen to SG. Or you can move Pippen to PG and put Harper at SG.

That team probably would win the championship in 1996, but not 72 games. Although there's no one to count on for a clutch basket, so 1997 and 1998 become iffy.

[TheKingOfVa360]

Shaq

[JordansBulls]

You are Jerry Krause, and the year is 1995. Your Bulls, featuring Jordan (who had just come out of retirement for less than two months) and Pippen, had just been eliminated by a young, but talented, Orlando Magic team featuring studs like Shaq, Penny, Grant, Scott, and Anderson.

The Magic front office has just offered you Shaq for Jordan. You're still in contention mode, but if you accept, you lose your face of the franchise and the best player in the league, one with whom Pippen has great chemistry.

If you refuse the trade, you miss out on a terror inside who will eat up the team for the next decade or so. You are stuck with Jordan, who at the time seems to have lost a step after not having played much for the last two years. Furthermore, he may have commitment issues to the game. Who else quits in the middle of his prime?

Putting aside your personal tension with Michael Jordan, do you take the offer?

Edit: Try not to use hindsight.

A few things to consider.

If it was 1995 when Jordan was coming back I would take Shaq, however if it was MJ in '96 knowing he was determined I would go with him.

Also knowing that Shaq likes warm weather I would have perhaps lost him still in 1997 so I am not sure if I take that trade.

[ronnymac2]

-= original quote snipped =-



Not only that, but Kukoc no longer has to come off the bench if you want to slide Pippen to SG. Or you can move Pippen to PG and put Harper at SG.

That team probably would win the championship in 1996, but not 72 games. Although there's no one to count on for a clutch basket, so 1997 and 1998 become iffy.

haha wow thatd be a sick lineup....i like the way it actually went down though...jordan's 2nd threepeat, then later, shaq's with l.a.

i wonder how penny and mj woulda been for that one year before penny would go down with the knee injuries, too.

and then of course, the real dream combo that would have never happened, probably because the league woouldn't allow for it.....shaq and mj lol

[MagicNolesFSU]

man i saw the title and thought what a (Please Use More Appropriate Word) thread. This is actually a GREAT thread.

I honestly dont know. Ima sleep on it and answer tomorrow. Jordan is the GOAT. and young shaq had next GOAT written all him. Wow, this is a thinker.

[Time for Change]

At the time, I'd probably have gone with Shaq, given that Jordan's motivation was in question due to his retirement. With hindsight, it would be Jordan easily.

[penbeast0]

Yeah, with hindsight you always take the titles and the historic dynasty; but at the time . . . I'd take Shaq if I think my owner will pony up and be able to resign him.