Shaquille O'Neal News: Pro Sports Daily

Jawai's bulk will be needed against Shaq

Comment

October 30

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"LeBron James arrives early this season for his lone Target Center appearance, tonight against the Timberwolves. And this time, for the first time, he's bringing Shaquille O'Neal with him. Such special occasions sometimes require new approaches, which is why Wolves coach Kurt Rambis plans to introduce newly acquired Nathan Jawai 10 days after he was obtained from Dallas in a bit of salary-cap bookkeeping. The Wolves traded a very conditional future second-round pick for Jawai and some of Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's plentiful cash in a transaction for a young, raw prospect who possibly can provide a team that's otherwise either undersized (Kevin Love, Al Jefferson) or lanky (Ryan Hollins) ..."

Shaq says Cavs will figure it out

Comment

October 28

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"It was not exactly the debut Shaquille O'Neal hoped for. "I played all right," the new Cavaliers center said after finishing with 10 points, 10 rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot in 29 minutes of the Cavs' 95-89 loss to the Boston Celtics in the season opener Tuesday night at Quicken Loans Arena. "I only took 11 shots, missed some chippies I don't usually miss. We've just got to get into the flow a little better and do the little things -- box out, take care of the ball, keep playing hard. If we do that, we'll be fine." Feeding off the energy of the sellout crowd of 20,562, the Cavs took a 21-7 lead, and O'Neal had six points and four rebounds in the first seven minutes. "Big ..."

Can Shaq make Cavaliers the Next Big Thing?

Comment

October 28

Los Angeles Times

columnist Mark Heisler

"What's a guy like you doing in a place like this? Shaquille O'Neal has been many big things (Aristotle, Pythagorean Theorem, Cactus) in many places since 1992 when he arrived in Orlando wearing mouse ears. Of course, before this none of the places ever got snow, to say nothing of sleet and freezing rain. Now, the Big Rust Belt? "I'm just here," O'Neal said Monday, still trying out motifs. "So far, everyone likes the Big Witness Protection Program." He's actually a one-man touring company, the 21st century's answer to vaudeville, even if the fun quotient dropped sharply in recent stops. When the good times ran out in Miami, where he won a fourth NBA title to go with his three as a Laker, ..."

Shaq quip still stings

Comment

October 27

Toronto Sun

"Chris Bosh doesn't plan on going fist city with Shaquille O'Neal tomorrow night at the Air Canada Centre when the Raptors open up the regular season against the Cleveland Cavaliers. But one gets the impression that he is still somewhat miffed by O'Neal's comments last season, when he described the good-natured Raptors forward as "the RuPaul of big men." O'Neal added that he was going to make Bosh quit when his plays him next (tomorrow). "It's what I do," Shaq said. But while Bosh brushed aside suggestions that O'Neal's words have increased his motivation, there still obviously is some resentment lingering. "I don't care. I really don't care. Everybody can talk back and forth all day. ..."

THE RING'S THE THING FOR SHAQ

Comment

October 25

New Orleans Times-Picayune

"After 17 seasons, Shaquille O'Neal is not thinking about retirement just yet. What's stirring his motivation is trying to win another championship, and he thinks playing alongside Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James will give him the best opportunity. Unable to bring a championship to Phoenix in 1 1/2 seasons, O'Neal was traded in June to Cleveland in exchange for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. "My motivation is simple, I want another championship," O'Neal said. "I'm very excited because they were already a good team and just one piece away. I'm that piece, and if we can put it all together, the sky is the limit for this team." The Cavaliers pursued O'Neal after they finished ..."

Bosh-Shaq feud fuel for opener

Comment

October 25

Toronto Sun

"Now that the tedium of pre-season hoops is over, the focus turns to Wednesday's home opener and the return of Shaq Daddy. O'Neal lit up the Raptors in the desert last season and then lit a fuse with Chris Bosh by invoking the name of a drag queen. "I heard what Chris Bosh said, and that's strong words coming from the RuPaul of big men," the Big Aristotle opined following his 45-point outburst, a total that helped his then-Phoenix Suns romp to a 133-111 win on Feb. 27. "I'm going to do the same thing (in their next meeting) I did before -- make him quit. Make 'em quit and complain. It's what I do.""

With Shaq, Cleveland Cavaliers are relying on a power play to wrest the NBA crown

Comment

October 25

Cleveland Plain Dealer

columnist Bill Livingston

"The television camera loves acrobatics as much in basketball as it does in gymnastics. Consider Michael Jordan's shell game with the ball as he drove in The Finals. And Dr. J giving gravity the brush-off behind the backboard. And Dwyane Wade's nightly dice-o-matic moves against interior defenses. But TV does not love power as much. In their newest star, Shaquille O'Neal, the Cavaliers have the most physical presence in the low post in NBA history. He and forward LeBron James are so dependent on power, their names could be Black and Decker. Such play might not be pretty, but it is very effective. Start with the sheer physical mass of the 7-1, 325-pound Shaq. At times, he has ventured ..."

Will the powers of Shaq and LeBron overcome the forces of darkness?

Comment

October 25

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"As children growing up 12 years and a thousand miles apart, Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James loved to mimic their favorite comic book superheroes. O'Neal, a child of the '70s, was coming into his own when Christopher Reeve was starring in the Superman movies. The powerful "S" insignia appealed to the maturing Shaquille, who was always bigger, stronger and more dominant than any of his peers. He loved the persona and sports the logo to this day as a tattoo on his left arm. James was in his impressionable boyhood when Michael Keaton was on the big screen outdueling Jack Nicholson in the original "Batman," a super-rich hero who drove sleek, fast cars, used fancy gadgets and always ..."

LeBron, Shaq testing chemistry

Comment

October 25

Akron Beacon Journal

"One is still ascending in his professional basketball career, and the other is in the twilight of his. But make no mistake about it, when listening to LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal speak, the topic is of a shared goal - winning an NBA championship. O'Neal gave the Cavs their playoff marketing slogan at his introductory news conference back in July when he said he was here to ''win a ring for the King.'' It gave some insight into how O'Neal viewed his role. ''I'm not here to get any individual accolades,'' O'Neal said recently. ''I've been in the league 17 years and I've won almost every award you can think of. It's our job to make him look good.'' Still when dealing with someone who's ..."

Celtics' preseason ends with skirmish, win

Comment

October 22

Boston Herald

"And they say these games are meaningless. Tell that to Shelden Williams and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Mo Williams, who had to be separated during a scrap in front of the visiting team's bench just before halftime of last night's 96-82 Celtics victory. Shelden Williams attempted to get position, Mo Williams hit the floor, and a little regular-season heat broke out in the middle of the last exhibition game. Celtics players, on their way to the locker room, briefly stepped onto the floor to break up the skirmish. Considering that these two smoldering foes open the season on Tuesday night in Cleveland, the Celtics might want to screen those calls from the league office, should the incident get ..."

Shaq still learning Cavaliers playbook

Comment

October 22

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Somebody may need to get Shaquille O'Neal some flashcards. With the start of the regular season less than a week away, the Cavaliers new center is admitting he's still having some trouble learning the offense. It is a different system from what's he been used to during much of his career and he's struggling a bit remembering and executing some of the plays. "It is vital that I start to memorize the plays" O'Neal said. "I've been used to a certain system for 17 years so I have to work on that. I still have a few days before we start." In an effort to improve spacing and clear lanes for LeBron James and Anderson Varejao, the Cavs are having O'Neal come away from the hoop quite a bit to ..."

Grousing about NBA's replacement officials has been minimal - so far

Comment

October 11

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Inside the NBA offices, there has to have been some relief over the past week that the replacement officials currently working the preseason are dodging major criticism and controversy. In fact, the implementation of the dress code a few years ago got more ink at this point in the season than what could be a major impact on the games themselves. The most interesting event so far was a joke that Denver Nuggets coach George Karl tried. Looking to pull a fast one, Karl replaced a poor foul shooter who had been fouled with a good one after a timeout. The officials caught it. In his first game as a Boston Celtic, forward Rasheed Wallace was hit with a technical foul, hinting business as ..."

Shaq studying yoga? That's a big stretch

Comment

October 9

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"New Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal has been keeping himself busy since arriving in Cleveland. Besides apparently looking into hooking up with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department (as he has done in the other places he has played), O'Neal said he took his first yoga class at Cleveland Yoga on Wednesday night. "You've gotta do different things to stay loose," he said. How did it go? "I'm the worst yoga student in the history of yoga," he said. Oh, no he's not, said Tami Schneider, owner/instructor at Cleveland Yoga on Richmond Road in Beachwood, who welcomed O'Neal to her hot yoga class Wednesday night. The temperature in the studio was 88 degrees, with 50 percent humidity. "He ..."

Shaq calls Cleveland basketball nirvana

Comment

October 9

Akron Beacon Journal

"The words came easily, without hesitation and seemingly with the thought required before going for the bold splash. In Shaquille O'Neal's estimation - one based on four championship rings and other honors - he's found basketball nirvana. And in of all places, Cleveland. ''Like I said before, one through 15, it's probably the best team that I've been on,'' O'Neal said. ''I've always been on management to get me the shooters I needed and the power forward I needed, but here [we have that].'' With the moves the Cavs made in the offseason, they certainly strengthened their bench and possibly addressed a major weakness revealed during the Eastern Conference finals by signing Anthony Parker and ..."

Cavaliers' LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal practice on-court chemistry in preseason opener

Comment

October 7

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"If their first time on the floor to gether as team mates was any indication, Le Bron James and Shaquille O'Neal fully intend to become a formidable 1-2 punch. During the preseason every player has his own focus and own little missions, which is why the games can often seem disjointed and without much flow. That was the case Tuesday when the Cavaliers opened the preseason, but there was no missing the two superstars' attempts at fostering chemistry. What was missing during the Cavs' 92-87 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats at The Q was guard Delonte West. The Cavs planned to play West and he warmed up and was in the locker room before the game. However, it was determined he wasn't quite ..."

Shaq's Gold squad outshines LeBron's

Comment

October 4

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"This round of "Shaq Vs." was unofficial, but he did finally get a win. The opponent happened to be LeBron James, but James didn't mind. Shaquille O'Neal was the highlight of the annual Wine and Gold Scrimmage on Saturday afternoon at a packed Rhodes Arena at the University of Akron. Fans who started lining up two hours before tipoff, a line that eventually stretched several hundred yards, gave O'Neal a standing ovation when he came on the floor for warm-ups. He responded by delivering a crisp and agile performance along with most of his teammates. O'Neal made 6 of 8 shots and led all scorers with 12 points as his Gold team beat James' Wine team, 54-38. O'Neal moved well, showing he's in ..."

Suns happier without Porter, O'Neal

Comment

September 29

Arizona Republic

"Some Suns found Terry Porter hard to follow as their coach and Shaquille O'Neal difficult to have around as a teammate last season. Both are gone, moved out by the Suns' volition. Happiness moved into the vacancy. Removed from the dread of being labeled underachievers and playing an unfamiliar style, the Suns' spirits took off Monday with their charter flight to San Diego for the start of a six-day training camp Tuesday. The biggest off-season change to the Suns was an attitude makeover. The Suns are excited about the season, as shown by nine players arriving in August for informal workouts and players recently going bowling together and joining Amaré Stoudemire in his suite at Sunday's ..."

Cleveland welcomes Shaq with big bash

Comment

September 28

Akron Beacon Journal

"All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal, the big man Cleveland is counting on to deliver this championship-starved city a title, was welcomed to town Sunday with a star-studded celebration that included sports celebrities and average Joes looking to rub elbows with them. O'Neal, 37, was acquired by the Cavaliers in June, shortly after the team was eliminated by the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Cavs, who open camp today, believe he is the missing piece to help league Most Valuable Player LeBron James win his first title — and Cleveland's first since 1964. Fans lined up for more than an hour outside the Barley House in the downtown Warehouse District for a chance to see ..."

Cavs fans across the area ready for Shaq hysteria

Comment

September 26

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Maryanne Ferraro's first-graders just cannot get enough of Shaquille O'Neal. The 14 boys in her classroom at University School are crowded around her chair Thursday at noon, leaning forward and intently listening to their teacher reading "Shaq and the Beanstalk and Other Very Tall Tales," a children's book the Cavaliers center wrote 10 years ago, long before any of these children were born -- and long before he moved to Cleveland. But that doesn't matter. There is a little giggling and a little squirming, but generally the boys are on their best behavior, and they all join in every time Ferraro gets to the signature phrase in the tale: "Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum." When Ferraro gets to the end of ..."

Shaq settles in near LeBron

Comment

September 24

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"With so much intrigue, rumor and speculation about where the big man was going to land in Cleveland, "The House-Hunting Adventures of Shaquille O'Neal" could have played as its own reality show. At first, the word was he was taking a penthouse loft in downtown Akron, where rock 'n' roller Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders would have been a part-time neighbor. "I could borrow a cup of sugar," the Akron-bred Hynde, who was aware of the rumors, said at the time. But instead of a Sugar Shaq in Ak- ron, O'Neal was seen scouting houses to the west of Cleveland. Tracy Raum, owner of Mojo's coffee shop in Bay Village, said O'Neal popped in last month, asking about the neighborhood, especially ..."

Kobe, Shaq to face off Christmas Day

Comment

August 5

Los Angeles Times

"The NBA's marquee matchup, once again on Christmas Day, will be the Kobe versus Shaq show. The Lakers will play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with their new center and a familiar face, Shaquille O'Neal, and LeBron James, on Dec. 25 at Staples Center in a 2 p.m. game, according to the NBA regular-season schedule that was released Tuesday. It's the fourth time in the six seasons since the Lakers traded O'Neal that they have a game scheduled against their former star on Christmas. This season's holiday game has plenty of story lines, including Bryant versus James, a matchup that many deemed inevitable in the NBA Finals last season, and for this December game may likely yield more Nike ..."

Shaquille O'Neal challenges 'scared' David Beckham in new video: 'There's no way you'd score on me'

Comment

August 4

New York Daily News

"Shaquille O'Neal is arguably the world's most famous seven-footer - and he isn't exactly short on confidence, either. The Cavs center thinks his hardwood heroics can translate to the pitch, issuing a playful challenge to British soccer star David Beckham in the form of a Twitter post last month. Now, in a new video at TMZ.com, he's again talking tough - claiming Beckham is "scared" of taking him on. "There's no way you'd score on me," says O'Neal, doing his best goalie impression in the parking lot at the Sherman Oaks Galleria near Los Angeles. "How many goals have you scored for the Galaxy?" The "feud" between the star athletes began when Shaq called out Beckham on his Twitter feed, which ..."

Shaq proves to be 'Raw' wrestling talent

Comment

July 28

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"If Shaquille O'Neal manages his time on the basketball court next season as he did Monday night as guest general manager on World Wrestling Entertainment's "Monday Night Raw" in Washington, Cavs fans will be in for a treat. On his way to the ring, the personable Shaq came out, shook hands with fans and tore up a Kobe Bryant poster. But the only boos he drew all night was when he said, "Hey D.C., LeBron James told me to tell you hello." WWE commentator Jerry "The King" Lawler, an Amherst native, predicted as the show opened that the 15-time NBA all-star will "slam dunk somebody tonight" and he did in his opening ring talk."

Shaq's wife OK after crash

Comment

July 23

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"The wife of Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal was involved in a car accident on Tuesday in Orlando, Fla., after a teenager slammed into her car, according to the celebrity gossip Web site TMZ.com. Shaunie O'Neal was taken to the emergency room, but TMZ says she and the others involved only suffered minor injuries. According to TMZ, Shaunie also wrote about the accident on the social networking site Twitter and wrote that she had a couple of injuries but otherwise was just sore."

Shaquille O'Neal to host WWE's Monday Night Raw

Comment

July 22

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"The Summer of Shaq continues to get bigger and better. First, on June 25, Shaquille O'Neal became a Cavalier when Cleveland traded Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic to the Phoenix Suns. Last week, O'Neal made a trip to China that included a tour of earthquake-devastated areas. Today, he'll start filming his reality show, "Shaq Vs.", in Pittsburgh. And if all that didn't keep O'Neal busy enough, on Monday he will be the guest host on World Wrestling Entertainment's "Monday Night Raw" in Washington, D.C. The show airs at 9 p.m. on USA. The show is currently running a story-line that involves a different celebrity guest host in charge each week. O'Neal will join the ranks Hall of Fame ..."

Shaq show set to go on

Comment

July 22

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"A news conference scheduled for tomorrow at the Steelers' UPMC training facility on the South Side to promote quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's reality television show competition with Shaquille O'Neal has been canceled, but the show will be taped as planned Friday. The cancellation of the news conference came one day after news surfaced of a civil lawsuit that was filed July 17 in Nevada by a woman claiming Mr. Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her in 2008. A spokesman for ABC said yesterday that the television show "Shaq Vs." will still be taped Friday at Ambridge's Moe Rubenstein Stadium and is to be shown on ABC-TV Aug. 18. Gates will open at 7 p.m. with taping to begin around 8:30 ..."

O'Neal courts competition on new reality show 'Shaq Vs.'

Comment

July 21

USA Today

"NBA star Shaquille O'Neal is getting ready to multitask.The four-time hoops champion, who joins the Cleveland Cavaliers next season, will star in Shaq Vs., an ABC reality series that pits him against top athletes in their own sports. Filming begins Wednesday in Pittsburgh, where Shaq takes on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in football. Future hour-long episodes will pit him against Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, retired boxer Oscar De La Hoya, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, tennis pro Serena Williams and beach volleyball Olympians Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. O'Neal, 37, says he also hopes to book pal Lance Armstrong for a cycling competition once the ..."

Shaq takes on, well, everybody

Comment

July 21

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Shaquille O'Neal has made it clear that he doesn't want his first season with the Cavaliers to be his final season in the NBA. The 37-year-old has said several times that he wants to play for two years after his contract expires in 2010. But the Big Entertainer al ready is positioning himself for his post-basketball days as an actor and performer by his cre ation and appearance in a television series on ABC that will begin airing Aug. 18. O'Neal will star in "Shaq Vs.," a reality TV show that pits him against other top athletes in their standout sports. Filming begins Wednesday in Pittsburgh when O'Neal takes on his first opponent, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Other opponents ..."

Cleveland Cavaliers' Shaquille O'Neal merchandise selling out in Cleveland

Comment

July 16

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"It's only been three weeks since Shaquille O'Neal officially joined the Cavaliers, but No. 33 merchandise is already flying off the shelves. Sporting goods stores carrying O'Neal's jerseys and player T-shirts are rushing to meet Northeast Ohio's demand for merchandise. Cardboard Heroes in Beachwood received its shipment of jerseys and T-shirts just in time for the July 4 weekend and already had a long waiting list for many styles. "We have since reordered many different shirts and jerseys," store manager Nate Cannell said. "It's a marketing dream for us. It'd be foolish to sit back and wait to see what kind of traffic he creates, and I can't tell you how many people have come in and made ..."

Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal adding up to major increase in Cavs' season-ticket sales

Comment

July 16

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"LeBron James has been selling out The Q since he was in high school, but the Shaquille O'Neal effect appears as if it may press interest in the Cavaliers to an all-time high. In perhaps the toughest economy in the NBA's history, the Cavs are showing a surge in season-ticket sales and experiencing a jump in ticket revenue. In an internal league memo prepared for this week's NBA Board of Governors meeting in Las Vegas that was obtained by The Plain Dealer, the Cavs rank first in several season-ticket sales categories. The Cavs have sold out 36 consecutive games and trends indicate they may threaten to sell out the entire upcoming season. "League policy prohibits us from releasing or ..."

O'Neal trade not without risks, but rewards are greater

Comment

June 28

Akron Beacon Journal

columnist Patrick McManamon

"The major challenges folks mention about adding Shaquille O'Neal to the Cavaliers do not seem to be challenges in the eyes of the Cavs. The first says that LeBron James won't be able to get to the basket with Shaq's big body clogging the paint. I don't quite understand this one. Did Dwyane Wade have a problem driving when O'Neal was with the Miami Heat? It will take some adjustment, yes, because James has never played with such a massive low-post presence. But nobody in the league has better basketball savvy than James, so any adjustment seems less consequential than it's being made to be. Too, O'Neal's presence gives James a rather hefty option if teams double him. Think back to Game 7 in ..."

In blockbuster deal, Shaquille O'Neal shipped to Cleveland Cavaliers

Comment

June 26

Palm Beach Post

"Call him The Big Pirogi. Label the season "The King and I." Shaquille O'Neal is now in Cleveland, where he'll combine with superstar forward LeBron "King" James to give the town formerly known as "The Mistake by the Lake" the most high-profile 1-2 punch in the NBA. Cleveland General Manager Danny Ferry hopes the LeBron-Shaq pairing wins the city its first championship in any sport since 1964. "Our goals are aligned with what our players want, including LeBron, and that's to win a championship and win it next year," Ferry said of Thursday's trade that sent O'Neal to the Cleveland from Phoenix in exchange for a package that included center Ben Wallace and guard Sasha Pavlovic. "I was elated ..."

O'Neal achieves relevance

Comment

June 26

San Antonio Express-News

columnist Mike Monroe

"What should we now call Shaquille O'Neal now that The Big Cactus has left the desert? The Big Rocker? The Cavaliers play within sight of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, filled with aging superstars still performing past their primes. The Big Partner? Shaq always has been part of a potent tandem, teamed in the past with Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and Steve Nash before joining LeBron James in a blockbuster draft day trade on Thursday. What O'Neal really has become is the NBA's Big Headline. No matter what is happening in the league, O'Neal always finds a way to become part of the story. A draft night with a player pool some experts believe is as thin as any in the past two ..."

Shaq traded to Cavs on eve of draft

Comment

June 25

Arizona Republic

"Like many of the Suns' recent NBA draft days, this one will be more about who the Suns are sending away with Phoenix agreeing Wednesday night to a trade that will ship center Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers. In exchange for the 37-year-old, 15-time All-Star, the Suns will get about $10 million in savings by acquiring Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic and then releasing Pavlovic, who has only $1.5 million of his $4.95 million salary guaranteed. Phoenix also gets the 46th pick in Thursday night's draft and $500,000. A buyout of Wallace's contract is also possible after injuries reduced his effectiveness and caused him to ponder retirement. He is due to make $14 million this season ..."

Cavs closer to getting Shaq?

Comment

June 24

Yahoo! Sports

"Phoenix center Shaquille O'Neal is creeping closer to joining the championship chase with LeBron James, league sources said on Wednesday. The Shaq-to-Cleveland trade talks have gained momentum and Cavaliers officials are nearing the conclusion they should make the move for O'Neal, sources said. Now, they have to find the package that'll work with Phoenix. One league executive says there's an "inevitability" to the talks and that, "It's going to get done." Nevertheless, there are still hurdles. Besides taking Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic, Phoenix wants Cleveland to surrender cash and future draft picks. Both teams have tried to find a third team to get involved, but with no luck yet. ..."

Shaq joining LeBron is worth Witnessing

Comment

June 15

Washington Times

columnist Tom Knott

"Shaquille O'Neal would be the splashy addition that lifts LeBron James and the Cavaliers to an NBA championship. O'Neal would be the piece that bolsters the Cavaliers around the basket and eases the defensive attention on James. He would be to the Cavaliers what Kevin Garnett was to the Celtics last season. The inability of the Cavaliers and Suns to broker this deal before the trading deadline in February stalled both franchises. Now the two are talking anew after the Cavaliers had no counter to Dwight Howard in the Eastern Conference finals, and the celebrated trio of O'Neal, Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire failed to lead the Suns into the playoffs. O'Neal never was a good fit with the ..."

Big Shaq-tus, big rumors

Comment

June 15

Arizona Republic

columnist Bob Young

"A regular reader e-mailed The Heat Index on June 2 to point out that Cleveland's Ben Wallace reportedly was considering retirement and open to the idea of a buyout of his contract. "If Wallace is serious about retiring with or without a buyout, the Suns should pursue that deal hard now," our guy wrote. "Buy Wallace out for 50 percent of his $14 million dollar salary and buy out (Sasha) Pavlovic . . . and save $10 million." OK, so technically it's $9.9 million. Our reader, who we'll call "Larry," was on to something, huh? Larry suggested that if the Suns clear some space with the move, they could pursue Marcin Gortat, the Orlando Magic's active, rugged, rebound-eating backup center, who ..."

Shaq pluses and minuses

Comment

June 15

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Before we get into this, let me just say that I believe there is less than a 50 percent chance Shaquille O'Neal will traded to the Cavs this summer. But I am relieved that after quite a bit of nonsense out there this week, this is the first time something legit has passed through the Internet involving the Cavs. After checking on it, I found out that it was indeed true and it didn't surprise me. Since the end of the regular season, the Cavs have talked with about 20 teams to take a temperature of what is out there in the market -- both with the draft and with players available. One of the teams was the Suns and because the Cavs and Suns talked about this back in February there's some more ..."

O'Neal would bring a big entertainment factor to the Cleveland Cavaliers

Comment

June 15

Cleveland Plain Dealer

columnist Bud Shaw

"Not only should a trade for Shaquille O'Neal happen, he should arrive for every game at The Q in a golden chariot and be fed grapes by members of the Cavaliers dance team. He should walk to the center jump to the soundtrack of "The King and I." Since he is joining the court of LeBron James, he could hold a name-changing ceremony at city hall, relinquish his desert moniker "Big Cactus" and take on "Big Royalty." Cavs owner Dan Gilbert would hold all rights to this grand basketball theater, so "royalty" would have a double meaning for him. The payoff could be the NBA title that persuades James there is absolutely no reason to go anywhere else in the summer of 2010. But even if a ..."

Cavaliers consider trade for Suns center Shaquille O'Neal

Comment

June 15

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Another rumor about the Cavaliers popped up on the national scene on Sunday, but this time there was some fire to the smoke. The Arizona Republic reported the Cavs and Phoenix Suns have restarted talks about a trade that would potentially bring future Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland. A league source con firmed Sunday that Cavs General Man ager Danny Ferry and Suns GM Steve Kerr have been in touch and discussed O'Neal since the Cavs' season ended two weeks ago. However, the talks are believed to just be a part of the preliminary dis cussions the Cavs are having with many teams leading up to the draft. The Cavs have been in talks with nu merous teams in the past 10 days ..."

In Bryant's Shining Hour, a Shaq Attack of Trade Talk

Comment

June 15

New York Times

"Even as Kobe Bryant's moment arrived, Shaquille O'Neal somehow appropriated a slice of the spotlight. Shaq to Cleveland? Shaq and LeBron James as the new dynamic duo? The headlines and television scroll bars were atwitter (as was Twitter) with the possibility on Sunday. For a few hours, the story trumped the N.B.A. finals and Bryant's quest for his first championship without O'Neal. The Los Angeles Lakers, with a 3-1 lead over the Orlando Magic, had their first chance to clinch the title Sunday night. Rumors of an O'Neal trade to Cleveland have lingered since February, when the Cavaliers and the Phoenix Suns seriously discussed parameters of a deal. The story got new life when The Arizona ..."

Yo, Shaq, get out of our faces

Comment

May 28

Orlando Sentinel

columnist Mike Bianchi

"It was like being at your own wedding — a day of rejoicing and exultation and entering an exciting new phase of your life — and then seeing the ex-girlfriend who ripped your heart out sitting in the front row of the church. Why was Shaquille O'Neal sitting courtside at the Magic's huge Game 4 overtime victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night? Who sent him an invitation to the party? He was more out of place than Rush Limbaugh dancing the night away to the Dixie Chicks at Barack Obama's inauguration ball. Can you believe it? The guy who destroyed the franchise 13 years ago when he bolted for L.A., actually showed up at the amped-up Am on a night when the Magic and their fans ..."

Shaquille O'Neal Takes Course in Broadcasting at Syracuse

Comment

May 20

New York Times

"Shaquille O'Neal has starred in everything from rap videos to video games. He has filmed, by his own count, about 250 television commercials over the past 10 years. He has completed enough postgame interviews on TNT to have critiqued nearly all of Craig Sager's purple suits. Still, O'Neal found himself at Syracuse University on Tuesday, celebrating the successful completion of a mock four-minute interview as if it were a playoff buzzer beater. "Bam," he screamed, pointing at a computer monitor. "Exactly four minutes." The 37-year-old O'Neal insists he will play four more N.B.A. seasons, but he plans on having his own radio and television shows after retirement. He envisions something ..."

Shaq named to All-NBA third team

Comment

May 14

Arizona Republic

"Suns center Shaquille O'Neal was named to the All-NBA third team for the 2008-09 season Wednesday. LeBron James of the Cavaliers, the 2008-09 MVP, was a unanimous selection to the All-NBA first team. He was joined by Kobe Bryant of the Lakers, Dwight Howard of the Magic, Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavericks and Dwyane Wade of the Heat. The All-NBA second team consists of New Orleans' Chris Paul, Portland's Brandon Roy, San Antonio's Tim Duncan, Boston's Paul Pierce and Houston's Yao Ming. In addition to O'Neal, the All-NBA third team includes Denver's Chauncey Billups, San Antonio's Tony Parker, Denver's Carmelo Anthony and the Lakers' Pau Gasol. For O'Neal, it was the 14th time in 17 seasons ..."

Cuban not in hot pursuit of Shaq

Comment

April 9

ESPN.com

"Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O'Neal is starting to drop thinly veiled hints about pushing for a trade to the Dallas Mavericks this offseason. After responding to several recent questions about his future with a mock growl, O'Neal told ESPN.com: "You know who needs me, right?" Asked if he was referring to the Mavericks, O'Neal added: "You write it." But Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, in response, made it sound Wednesday as though he would prefer to keep his longtime friendship with O'Neal on a mostly Twitter level. Cuban wouldn't completely rule out a deal for O'Neal this summer, but he likewise offered only limited encouragement when asked before Dallas' crucial 130-101 drubbing of the Utah ..."

Big Shaq headed to Big D?

Comment

April 8

Arizona Republic

"They're already working on nicknames for Shaquille O'Neal in Dallas. The Big Texan? The Big Shaq-adillo? The Big D-sel? OK, maybe they're jumping the gun a bit, but speculation is ramping up that O'Neal is angling to be moved to the Dallas Mavericks in the off-season. DallasBasketball.com reported Wednesday that O'Neal is telling friends he wants Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to make it happen. The report quotes an un-named "mutual friend" of Shaq and Cuban who said O'Neal is making no secret of his desire privately and that after the season "it won't be private anymore." Of course, adding fuel to this Texas rumor fire is an exchange of "tweets" on Twitter.com between The Big Texter and ..."

Shaq calls out Suns rookie center Lopez

Comment

March 31

Arizona Republic

"Suns center Shaquille O'Neal did not have much to say about Sacramento center Spencer Hawes posting a career-high 20 points on Sunday night, other than to call out the Suns guards for making the team's post defense vulnerable by allowing penetration. But he did have words about another center, rookie teammate Robin Lopez. O'Neal and Lopez had an animated talk during a break late in Thursday's loss in Portland. "Put somebody on their (expletive) back," O'Neal said he told Lopez. "Don't let anybody oopsy-doopsy layup on you and be laughing at you. Have you ever seen me get dunked on? No, because I put (expletive) on their backs. Period. "If you're going to be a big man, be a big man. Don't ..."

Shaq talks about his scoring mark

Comment

March 23

Arizona Republic

"As a kid, the Suns' Shaquille O'Neal did not know who his father was talking about when he told him to do things like Wilt Chamberlain. Now, Chamberlain is one of only four players in front of him for NBA career scoring. O'Neal's 27,411 points trail Chamberlain (31,419), Michael Jordan (32,292), Karl Malone (36,928) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387). "When I first came into this league, I always said, 'When I leave, I will be remembered,' " O'Neal said. "I'm up there with some pretty good company. If I wouldn't have had three years worth of injuries and 5,000 (5,097) misses from the free-throw line, right now mathematically I'd probably be at least No. 3 right now. "I'm a little bit ..."