Shaq Says Blazers Wanted Him

[duncan228]

Shaq says Blazers wanted him (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/basketball/nba/06/27/shaq.trail.blazers/index.html)
By Ian Thomsen, SI.com

Amid a wealth of midseason rumors that he was headed to Cleveland in February at the trading deadline, Shaquille O'Neal says another team also was trying to land him -- the Portland Trail Blazers.

O'Neal says he vetoed the potential trade to Portland in a conversation with Suns GM Steve Kerr, who this week dealt Shaq to the Cavaliers in exchange for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, a second-round pick in next year's draft and $500,000.

"During the middle of the season, Steve said Portland was interested," said O'Neal. "He said was I interested in going to Portland? I told him no, so he stopped that."

The Blazers, however, are adamant that they didn't try to trade for Shaq in February. "Why would we when we've got Greg (Oden) developing and we've already got (Joel) Przybilla?" said a Blazers official who asked to remain anonymous. "If were in go-for-it mode, maybe we would be more interested."

For his part, Shaq insists he was told that Portland was offering the expiring contract of Raef LaFrentz in a package for him. He made the point while congratulating Kerr for being straightforward and direct in their conversations.

"He did it 1,000 percent professional," said O'Neal. "Steve Kerr was very honest."

During their midseason conversations Kerr never raised the possibility of a trade with Cleveland, according to O'Neal, who said he asked Kerr to not deal him to Portland because the Blazers weren't close to winning a championship.

"They have a young team, and their team is pretty good the way it is," O'Neal said of the Blazers. "When he called me, he didn't mention (Cleveland). He said, 'Portland is really making the move for you.' And I said, `I don't really want to go to Portland."'

[Muser]

Lol Oden

[ginobili's bald spot]

Lol Oden

lol tlong

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

The one team Shaq is being nice to after he leaves is the team that deserves criticism. I wish Shaq wouldn't be so worried about looking nice and call Nash and Kerr out.

[tlongII]

That is laughable.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Shaq > pile of shit > Oden

[cnyc3]

Shaq says Blazers wanted him (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/basketball/nba/06/27/shaq.trail.blazers/index.html)
By Ian Thomsen, SI.com

Why would we when we've got Greg (Oden) developing



That is laughable.

[ginobili's bald spot]

Looks like even the Blazers know that Oden sucks. Poor lil Tlong is the last one to get the memo.

[Gino]

They need a new adjective to describe how done Oneal is....

He only gives effort for all-star games and Laker matchups. The rest of the time he mails it in.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

He only gives effort for all-star games and Laker matchups. The rest of the time he mails it in.


So when he dropped 45 on the Raptors last year that was "mailing it in"?

[Gino]

So when he dropped 45 on the Raptors last year that was "mailing it in"?

No. But you can score a lot of points and still give shitty effort on defense and rebounds. And I can guarantee I can find plenty more games that he half-assed his performance versus games where he actually decided to hustle.

Hes too old and too slow. He doesnt even attempt to cover pick n rolls anymore.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Shaq's pretty fuckin amazing if he can mail it in for all but 4 games during the season and still be a 3rd all NBA center.

[Strike]

That is laughable.

I don't ever recall hearing about the Blazers being interested in Snaq. I'd like to think I'd hear at least rumors or something like that since I live in Portland. On the other hand, Paul Allen isn't above spending some bucks to improve the team but I don't see any real advantage to adding Snaq's old, fat, lazy ass to a young, up and coming team like the Blazers.

Probably just posturing on Snaq's part.

[KSeal]

DoK defending someone who played for the Suns, holy shit.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

DoK defending someone who played for the Suns, holy shit.


KSeal, I've always been a Shaq fan and always will be. It's not like I'm all the sudden defending Shaq, I've defended him all season when fans were blaming him for not being able to guard the player Nash was supposed to be guarding.

[Thompson]

The one team Shaq is being nice to after he leaves is the team that deserves criticism. I wish Shaq wouldn't be so worried about looking nice and call Nash and Kerr out.

Give it time. It take him months to come up with lines like 'How my @## taste?'

[Lord Vader]

http://www.icanhasforce.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/star-wars-lord-vader-faggotry.jpg

[spursfan1000]

The only way I would see the Blazers using him the best is if Shaq would give Oden and Aldridge some tips...

[Thunder Dan]

see Cleveland is the new Las Vegas. Very underrated

[SenorSpur]

I'm so over the over abundance of trivial Shaq news. From what number he's gonna wear with the Cavs to what team was interested in him at the trade deadline. This is the old lion roaring desparately trying to stay relevant. It aint working.

[tomtom]

That is laughable.

That idiot's just hyping himself up as usual

[VivaPopovich]

don't ever have a player on your team that can veto trades

its ridiculous how much power these primadonnas have. we dont have that problem on the spurs

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

don't ever have a player on your team that can veto trades

its ridiculous how much power these primadonnas have. we dont have that problem on the spurs

Shaq isn't allowed to veto trades.

[Obstructed_View]

Shaq's trying to save face since the Suns didn't even want him. He's got to pretend that he had a say in where he went. We all know he's completely full of shit.

[Xylus]

After watching Shaq play all year, I can say with great certainty that he played his ass off most nights. For a 37-year-old center to make 3rd Team All-NBA is really fucking impressive to me and I'll be a Shaq fan until he retires. Not really his fault that Amare took the year off, Nash declined a little, and JRich is a moron who never should have come here.

Much love to Shaq. He was a badass last season.

[Xylus]

Shaq's trying to save face since the Suns didn't even want him. He's got to pretend that he had a say in where he went. We all know he's completely full of shit.

Sarver didn't want his contract. And Steve Kerr puts far too much stock into what Nash thinks about the team. With their powers combined, we have one of the worst FO's in the league.

Suns fans, for the most part, loved Shaq and are sad to see him go. For nothing.

[Obstructed_View]

Sarver didn't want his contract. And Steve Kerr puts far too much stock into what Nash thinks about the team. With their powers combined, we have one of the worst FO's in the league.

Suns fans, for the most part, loved Shaq and are sad to see him go. For nothing.

You should be used to it after watching your draft picks go for nothing the last several years. What Sarver and Kerr are doing to the Suns almost makes me feel sorry for the team and their fans.

Almost.

[mojorizen7]

Sarver didn't want his contract. And Steve Kerr puts far too much stock into what Nash thinks about the team. With their powers combined, we have one of the worst FO's in the league.

Suns fans, for the most part, loved Shaq and are sad to see him go. For nothing.

Nail>head :toast
Whatever Nashy wants, Nashy gets.....
funball
smallball
NoDball
Thanks for the memories Nash (and thats no shit brutha....), now get the fuck away from my team so we can move on and find some defense and develope some new leaders going forward.

[Culburn369]

Shaq ain't any less blameless in this Suns meltdown than Nash is. Both Shaq & Nash used & abused Porter for their own selfish needs. In the chaos of the power struggle twixt Nash|Porter & Shaq|rank immaturity...Porter ended up the fall guy. Only the injury to Amare prevented Shaq from giving Gentry the same disrespect he'd given Porter. Only then could Shaq relax & feel comfortable "sharing" the spoils of their victory with Nash. Shaq had the spotlight to drone on endlessly and the paint was now his and his alone|||Nash had SSOL back, which is all he ever wanted. And he wanted nothing else.