NBA Rumor: Shaq to the Hornets?
The first round of the NBA playoffs are barely wrapping up yet rumors are already starting to fly about what players might be switching jerseys this off-season. With the economy continuing to struggle and the salary cap going down for the first time since its inception, many teams will be looking to get creative when it comes to their roster.
One player possibly heading to a new city is the self proclaimed Most Dominant Ever, aka Shaquille O’Neal. A lot of people think that his monster contract and diminishing skill set are untradeable, but his resurgent play this year has landed him on a few GM’s radars. Shaq, through the use of his Twitter account, has made it known he is quite fond of Dallas and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.
NBA sources say, however, the most likely destination for the Big Tweep is New Orleans. Shaq has a large fan base in the south stemming from his days at LSU and the Hornets let it be known they wanted out of Tyson Chandler’s contract when they traded him earlier this year (only to have it fall through due to health reasons).
The trade could work in both teams favors should it happen. The Hornets would only carry O’Neal on their books for one season and he would bring proven playoff experience to a team that really needs it. He would also sell a lot of tickets, which makes the deal interesting from a business perspective. The Phoenix Suns would get younger and more athletic in their front court, and if healthy, Chandler paired with forward Amare Stoudemire would be one of the most tenacious big-duos in the NBA.
What do you think? Is the Big Aristotle worth the big bucks? Or is the big man a big waste of money at this point in his career?
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