Shaq in Miami

[akhhorus]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1837581

Shaq for Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and Caron Butler...wow

[CarMike]

wow is right.

Shaq now has a cake walk to the Eastern Championship and NBA Finals. Smart move for Shaq to go to a Eastern conference team.

And it doesn't sound like the Heat gave up alot to get him. Then again, before you guys jump all over for me, I don't know a lot about the guys that the Lakers are getting. Names are familiar but I don't know a lot about there game...

[akhhorus]

wow is right.

Shaq now has a cake walk to the Eastern Championship and NBA Finals. Smart move for Shaq to go to a Eastern conference team.

And it doesn't sound like the Heat gave up alot to get him. Then again, before you guys jump all over for me, I don't know a lot about the guys that the Lakers are getting. Names are familiar but I don't know a lot about there game...

They got some good players. Odom is a stud, Butler is a superstar of the future and Grant is a rugged inside player.

[LATrueRedskin]

What a great move for Shaq. He will put up huge numbers in Miami. The only player I would hate to lose if I were the Heat is Caron Butler. Grant is past his prime and Odom is a good player, but very tradable.

[Ramsey2Moss]

Hmmm so would you all say this helps the Lakers or the Heat more??

[rskinsfan10]

I think that the Lakers are getting over in this deal. Yeah, Shaq is Shaq, but I know that it pains the Heat to give up those three, especially Butler. Funny how Odom will wind up back in LA, but playing for the better team this time around.

[BigCountry]

Right now it probably favours the Heat more simply because they're in the east. If Butler pans out and the Lakers will yet again have a great duo to build around, and Odom coming of the bench. (He won't play the 4 if he played in the NBA for 100 more seasons) Right now if the Lakers get Dampier and play Grant at the 4, with Fisher/free agent, Kobe and Butler, they'll probly be around the top 4 in the conferance with good seasons from the new tradees.

[RedskinsDave]

They make this move and the Lakers are lucky to make the playoffs.

[fent]

i like the heat in this deal. odom is a stud in my opinion, IF he keeps his head on straight. butler has the potential to be a superstar, but he hasn't really shown it IMO in Miami. Grant is a throw in basically to make the numbers match. He has no chance to be a serviceable player in the west.

[LATrueRedskin]

In the short run its the Heat. Shaq will DOMINATE in the east and the Heat will most likely be in the hunt for the title. In the long run, the Lakers scored with Butler. He will be very good.

[JoeDaSchmoe]

Dwayne Wade and Shaq together.... I'd say the West's utter dominance over the East is slipping away.

[BigCountry]

For 2 years at best, unless Shaq remembers what conditioning is. Not many fans in L.A saw this, or thought it mattered but the guy doesn't really take care of himself. The amazing thing is he can still be dominant but not like he used to. The Heat will enjoy him in the same form he was in L.A for the past 2 years for a couple of seasons unless he starts to take care of himself. Odom and Butler can be special but Odom probably won't stop underachieving and Butler will take a few seasons but they will help.

[suppitty]

Well this means the Wizards will have shaq in their division. Heat are now immediate contenders, and moving Grant frees up a ton of cap space. Not sure if the Heat should waste some of Wade's great scoring ability at point gaurd, but unless they do that will be their huge weakness.

[akhhorus]

Well this means the Wizards will have shaq in their division. Heat are now immediate contenders, and moving Grant frees up a ton of cap space..

because Shaq makes the Veteren's minimum? He makes 23 million, that totally fills the cap.

[SkinsCT]

As a Knicks fan I am upset. Only thing worse than the Lakers winning an NBA championship could be the Heat taking one in the coming years. I think Miami gave up three starters, one an all-star, but they're getting Shaq, so they are a better team with him than with those three. LA is worse, even though I think Odom and Kobe could play well together. One thing I would worry about is Odom's ability to keep out of trouble back in LA, he was always in deep while with the Clippers.

[split3clemente]

with this trade miami immideatley becomes the 3rd best team in the east behind indiana and detroit, miami got a hall of famer whos only 32 for 3 guys who werent even all stars last year

[IowaSkinsFan]

I think that the Lakers are getting over in this deal. Yeah, Shaq is Shaq, but I know that it pains the Heat to give up those three, especially Butler. Funny how Odom will wind up back in LA, but playing for the better team this time around.

David Aldridge was on Sportscenter Sunday Morning and he thought there was no way LA would ever get equal value in any trade for Shaq, just because he is Shaq. He is one of a kind and there is no replacing him.

Also, there is some school of thought that the Lakers will pass on Caron Butler and request that young kid the Heat just drafted out of High School, his names escapes me at present. Any thoughts on that?