Shaquille O'Neal: Atlanta was cool, but....

[HMFFL]

Q&A with NBA great Shaquille O'Neal on his future

As a free agent this summer, what were all the factors you considered before deciding to sign with the Celtics?

Atlanta was cool, but they don’t have a lot of national television games. But Boston, with Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, I said we can do it. A lot of people said I only got the league minimum salary, but that’s all right. I’m the luckiest guy in the world. I’ve had four max contracts in one lifetime, I don’t care about that little million. Did I want $10 million? I’m always going to put the number high. I could have gotten $8 million from Atlanta and Detroit, but it wasn’t about that. It was about being somewhere and being seen and winning.

From my understanding the ASG never offered Shaq $8 million.

[azuresou1]

Shaq is just posturing.

[evildallas]

The ASG couldn't have offered Shaq $8M unless A) they had a s&t worked out B) he means $8M spread over 2 years. I could believe the 2nd one that they were talking something in the $4M per season range, but I would bet even those discussions never got to a full offer.

He is right about not enough National TV games. It's a chicken and egg thing. You don't get big games because you don't have enough star power and the stars don't like you as a destination because you don't have enough big games.

[ryan709]

Shaq wouldnt have been a smart acquisition for the Hawks at $8million..For the vet minimum he would have been a great acquisition for the Hawks

[SAUCERY_SWEET]

Don't want Shaq at this point in his career, he's only going to get hurt and really clog up things in the paint in a negative way, no thanks.

[SAUCERY_SWEET]

This dope puts us in the same category as Detroit.