Source: Shaq Prefers Spurs, Wants to Play Two More Seasons

[GameTime]

http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/07/07/source-shaq-prefers-spurs-wants-to-play-two-more-seasons/

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Shaquille O'Neal's first choice is to join the San Antonio Spurs for one final run at a fifth NBA title, and he wants to play two more seasons before retiring, a source told FanHouse on Wednesday.

The source spent time Wednesday with O'Neal in the Orlando area, where the legendary free-agent center makes his offseason home.

The source said O'Neal said the Spurs and Atlanta are at the top of his list since there is interest with those teams on both sides. FanHouse's Tim Povtak reported Monday the link between O'Neal and the Hawks, and there were indications from San Antonio on Wednesday that the Spurs do indeed have interest.

O'Neal also is interested in Boston but the source said he realizes the Celtics don't have much interest in him. A source confirmed to Povtak on Wednesday that, while the Celtics have great respect for Shaq, he would disrupt their chemistry.

"He'd really like to go to San Antonio and team with Timmy (Duncan), and try to win one more title,'' said the source about O'Neal, who starred in high school in San Antonio.

Share261 Spurs general manager R.C. Buford declined comment.

The source said O'Neal, 38, plans to play two more seasons and then retire. He wants there to be a farewell tour in 2011-12, which he expects would be his 20th and final NBA season.

"He wants to sign a two-year deal,'' the source said about O'Neal, who made $21 million last season with Cleveland. "And then the second year will be a farewell tour. He can tell a team that you would sell out all 41 games (that season).''

That strategy might come in more handy with the future Hall of Famer possibly trying to convince Atlanta to offer him more than the midlevel exception of about $5.8 million. While the source said O'Neal would go to San Antonio for the midlevel, he said his preference if he joined the Hawks would be to get more money than that. The Hawks would need to make a move to have more than the midlevel, with one possibility trying to do a sign-and-trade with the Cavaliers.

One thing is for sure: the source said Shaq won't return to Cleveland.

"He thought it was OK,'' the source said of the one season O'Neal spent with LeBron James there. "But he won't be back.''

The source said O'Neal, who won titles with the Lakers in 2000, 2001 and 2002 and Miami in 2006, looked Wednesday to be in "good shape'' and that O'Neal still looks as if could contribute to a championship team. The source said O'Neal is going to let the free agency process play out and doesn't expect any deal to get done immediately. Players first can sign Thursday.

Edited July 8, 2010 by GameTime

[AHawks89]

So what do we do? Give Shaq more money quickly or let it play out, and see what he does. Or go for a different Center?

Edited July 8, 2010 by AHawks89

[NJHAWK]

Nice find. I think Shaq we make much more of an impact here than in San Antonio. San Antonio seems like they are ready to start rebuilding soon.

[DJKadafi]

BRING SHAQ TO ATLANTA>>

[DJKadafi]

BRING SHAQ TO ATLANTA>> We looking like pretenders right now.

[Chaze]

soo how we goin get more than the mle a trade shaq isnt worth trading our pieces just for him i say move on to the next option maybe jermaine oneal or someone???

[99PROBL3MS]

In my honest opinion, this is good news for us. It doesn't appear that the Spurs have much interest. They say "talks have taken place." but it appears that the Spurs aren't looking to get any older than they already are. We really could land Shaq.

[DrReality]

Don't think we will have the cap space the way it looks and I didn't think he'd really consider us.

[Alex]

Nice find. I think Shaq we make much more of an impact here than in San Antonio. San Antonio seems like they are ready to start rebuilding soon.

San Antonio rebuilding? Parker, Duncan, and Ginobili isn't a team that is going to be rebuilding anytime soon.

[JTB]

San Antonio rebuilding? Parker, Duncan, and Ginobili isn't a team that is going to be rebuilding anytime soon.

actually the spurs do look like they may start rebuilding. duncan is getting older and is beginning to decrease like KG is. Ginoboli is in his 30's but is still pretty decent and tony parker is mentioned in a hell of alot of rumors that he wants to play with the knicks! plus a couple of months ago tony even said he wants to play with the knicks and the spurs probably arent too worried considering that george hill stepped it up tremendously when parker was hurt this season, so they probably have no problem starting him. With all that said I say we are really able to get Shaq and make some impact!

[Unforgiven]

welp, its safe to say we suck.

[Chinky_eyed_hawk]

soo how we goin get more than the mle a trade shaq isnt worth trading our pieces just for him i say move on to the next option maybe jermaine oneal or someone???

I totally agree with you on this. A free agent Shaq is way better than option than a trade for Shaq unless we are really talking a spare piece like Evans. Anything more than that or a future 2nd I hope they wouldnt pull that trigger. I would like to see Evans moved with multiple pieces for a star or upgrade of a player or just let that money come off of our books next summer than trade for Shaq.

[Seano]

So he's willing to accept the MLE from San Antonio, but wants more than that from us? I wonder why he feels he needs extra incentive in the form of $$$ to play in Atlanta?

That's fine and well within his rights to ask for that, but if I were the ASG I'd just say sayonara to Shaq in that case. I'd just tell him "Look dude, this is what we've got. Just like San Antonio, we've got the MLE to offer you, and that is all. If that's not enough for you, then good luck to you in San Antonio", and then let him make his choice from there. I think it would be ridiculous monkeying around with our roster and making trades just in order to try and fit Shaq in here, especially since he wants to be paid more just for playing here, which is a little insulting in my opinion. So hey, if he doesn't want to play here for the MLE, then don't play here at all. That's how I'd approach it anyway.

[lethalweapon3]

In a market with a dearth of centers, Shaq and Brenda should, and will, get above the MLE. As long as the average amount offered stays under $6.5 million I'm fine with either one.

~lw3

[BudBall]

I thought he wanted to go to a city he liked. What is so great about San Antonio? I never heard anyone who wanted to vacation there.

[lethalweapon3]

I thought he wanted to go to a city he liked. What is so great about San Antonio? I never heard anyone who wanted to vacation there.

Quiz: Where did Shaq play in High School?

Also, don't forget the Alamo (and the Riverwalk)! Very underrated travel-wise, possibly the best city to visit in Texas.

~lw3

[pimp]

Quiz: Where did Shaq play in High School?

Also, don't forget the Alamo (and the Riverwalk)! Very underrated travel-wise, possibly the best city to visit in Texas.

~lw3

i'll guess San Antonio.,because I Remember hearing that Shaq didn't like David Robinson, because he wouldn't give him

an autograph when he was in high school.

[lethalweapon3]

i'll guess San Antonio.,because I Remember hearing that Shaq didn't like David Robinson, because he wouldn't give him

an autograph when he was in high school.

Until recent years, he's always held animosity toward the city for praising David Robinson like a native son, while neglecting/booing him despite his high school years (His Cole High team went 68-1 during his two years there). Admiral stealing his scoring title in 1994 didn't help matters. Thus the dunk incident at the 1996 All-Star Game.

A link from a 2001 article on Shaq and San An.

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/DEEP+DOWN,+SAN+ANTONIO+(LOVES)+SHAQ-a083596330

Cole High basketball coach Herb More stopped by a local luxury-car dealership on O'Neal's behalf the other day, to see whether the Lakers center could rent some nice wheels while he was here for Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference finals.

Of course, O'Neal could have rented a limousine and driver but he was really hoping to slip back into town as quietly as spring.

This is, after all, a business trip.

The guy in charge responded as if an acquaintance of Jesse James had come by looking for a horse.

``We provide cars to some of the Spurs,'' the man said, ``and that would be a slap in the face to them if we rented one to Shaq.''

And on the autograph signing:

“He wrote his name real quick and was like, ‘Yeah, come on, hurry up’,” Shaq penned in his 2001 memoir Shaq Talks Back. Robinson didn’t engage in any constructive dialogue, and declined to make any eye contact. “He kind of dogged me out. He was my favorite player. That’s OK. I said to myself, ‘when I see you, I’m gonna get you.’”

~lw3

Edited July 8, 2010 by lethalweapon3

[BusBoyIsBack]

PAY THE MAN!

Think of it as insurance. It can help us retain Horford because he would be more likely to re-sign seeing how we actually made effort to go out and get him some help down low.

And seeing how we would match up far more favorably with Dwight Howard, the loaded potential Heat would be the only team clearly better than us

[coachx]

PAY THE MAN!

All the Hawks can offer is the MLE.

We can only go over the cap to resign on our own free agents. All we can off Shaq is the MLE.

Its such a simple concept. You would think Shaq, or the writer, would no this.