Who is gonna do better?

[IndianBaller27]

Please vote.

[IndianBaller27]

As for me, I think the Heat are gonna go farther just because they are in the Eastern Conference.

[LATrueRedskin]

As for me, I think the Heat are gonna go farther just because they are in the Eastern Conference.

Exactly. There are really no other centers in the East that can compete with Shaq and in the division their in, it'll be a breeze. And of course, Shaq will have a chip on his shoulder and will prove he can still dominate.

[GolfFreak]

Went w/ Shak since he's in the East now and Kobe is going to realize it wasn't just him that brought championships to LA - he owes that to his coach & Shak.

[PyroGenic]

i think shaq will dominate the east, he's been able to beat the best for most of his career (minus the pistons, but they swarmed him). Plus the lakers no longer have a dominant or even half decent center so I don't expect great things from them.

[IowaSkinsFan]

Exactly. There are really no other centers in the East that can compete with Shaq and in the division their in, it'll be a breeze. And of course, Shaq will have a chip on his shoulder and will prove he can still dominate.

Agreed.

[rskinsfan10]

I said before that I believe the Lakers got the best of this deal. Being a Wizards fan on sabbatical, I remind you all that trading young for old generally isn't a good thing to do. See Chris Webber for Mitch Richmond for historical reference.

[rskinsfan10]

The signing of Vlade gives them a decent defensive presence in the middle also.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?id=1842524

[IowaSkinsFan]

The signing of Vlade gives them a decent defensive presence in the middle also.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?id=1842524

He's still playing? He replaced Jabbar, didn't he? He's got to be around 40 years old now.

[PyroGenic]

well he was drafted in 89 but i dunno how old he was then...

[IowaSkinsFan]

Wow, born in 1968. Much younger than I thought.

[Patrick]

That's a good poll question - couldn't vote cause I just couldn't decide. But I'll tell you who really makes out on the deal - Miami, and that's from a marketing stand point. I heard on ESPN's All Night that they have already sold out 90% of the home games.

[nyjunc]

I said before that I believe the Lakers got the best of this deal. Being a Wizards fan on sabbatical, I remind you all that trading young for old generally isn't a good thing to do. See Chris Webber for Mitch Richmond for historical reference.

In the long run the Lakers got the better of the deal but for the next 2-3 years it's all Heat. LA has the look of a 6-8 seed at this point and Miami will most likely win the Atlantic now that the Nets have been dismantled. Miami is better than LA at this point and should be for at least 2 years, Kobe will get his points but say goodbye to and title hopes for a long time.

[IndianBaller27]

I think nyjunc and rskinsfan10 both have a great point. In a few years, the Lakers will have the better end of the deal because Shaq isn't gonna be there for Miami and the Lakers will have Kobe and Lamar Odom, who is defenately gonna be an all-star eventually.

[nyjunc]

In a few years, the Lakers will have the better end of the deal because Shaq isn't gonna be there for Miami and the Lakers will have Kobe and Lamar Odom

And alot more cap room thanks to shedding the hefty contract Shaq had.

[IndianBaller27]

And alot more cap room thanks to shedding the hefty contract Shaq had.
Yeah, but how about Kobe's contract??? $136.4 million over 7 years. Thats over $100 million over Laveranues Coles. I know it's a different sport, but that's still crazy!!