Where is Shaquille O'Neal next season?

[Karae]

What do you think?

[noel]

The only likely place I can see at the moment is Dallas, but just given his contract etc. I could very much see a deal not getting done for him.

[Karae]

I think the Dallas trade is a longshot at best - for one reason: it turns Los Angeles into Dallas. Meaning: a team with a ton of perimeter talent and no inside presence. I don't see L.A. making this trade except in desperation. I think they're more likely to go with a team that can give them *some* inside presence to offset the loss of Shaq.

I voted for L.A. because, frankly, there aren't any trades that make much sense, for either team involved. Because of his immense salary, most teams would have to trade 4-5 players to make it happen, and leave themselves with a roster of 7-8 players.

If he's to be traded, I favor an East coast team because, let's face it, L.A. isn't going to want to play him 4 times a year. I think Indiana and New Jersey are probably the front runners in that scenario (dunno why I didn't put them in the poll!). They both have the personnel to make the trade semi-logical for both sides.

[Winnow]

I voted for LA as it would help push Kobe out and give Phoenix the best chance at signing him.

Shaq makes too much money. If he really wanted out he'd renegotiate his contract. The guy is projected to make like 300-400 million on the Google IPO alone later this year. It's Shaq's choice. He's a fool to not renegotiate if he really wanted out. (unless you can't renegotiate your contract and take a pay cut. I don't know what league rules are on that)

[Karae]

I voted for LA as it would help push Kobe out and give Phoenix the best chance at signing him.

Kobe isn't going anywhere. Jerry Buss and Mitch Kupchak have both already said that the Lakers will resign Kobe at any cost - including losing Shaq and including making him a part owner of the team.

Apparently Shaq knew this as early as April, and it may be part of the reason for the Lakers sub-par finals performance - they certainly looked like a team with internal problems and Shaq (and the rest of the team which was loyal to Shaq before anyone else) being furious about this Kobe-first policy would certainly account for their lack of cohesiveness.

Personally, I think it's pretty foolish to bank your whole franchise on a narcissist who is on trial for rape, doesn't make his teammates better, and is denial about the whole thing.

I guess Shaq will be vindicated when the Lakers struggle to make the playoffs the next few years and he takes whichever team he winds up on to another NBA Finals.

[Winnow]

I voted for LA as it would help push Kobe out and give Phoenix the best chance at signing him.

Kobe isn't going anywhere. Jerry Buss and Mitch Kupchak have both already said that the Lakers will resign Kobe at any cost - including losing Shaq and including making him a part owner of the team.

I won't argue that point too much except that the 106 million the Suns can sign Kobe for and the 140 million the Lakers can sign him for doesn't matter much according to Kobe. He's already said that won't be a factor.

A failed attempt to trade Shaq would certainly speed up Kobe's departure but even if Shaq moves on it doesn't mean Kobe stays.

The Suns have 16+ million under the Cap. They would only need to use about 10 million of that this year to sign Kobe to a max 106 million multi year escallating guaranteed contract. That would leave 6 million to sign a workable center and they can still make a trade to fine tune what would be their core of Kobe, Joe Johnson, Marion and Amare.

It's been obvious for many months that they know that Kobe is at least seriously considering Phoenix. This isn't an out of the blue thing. Kobe has connections here. It's a wait and see now but don't be surprised if it happens.

July 1st there will be some chatter and then we'll all know most likely July 15th.

There were even articles about Kobe coming to Phoenix back in January when it was thought that the Suns could only clear 7 Million under the cap.

It's rumored that Kobe picked number 8 in honor of his favorite player growing up, Mike D'Antoni ... the current coach of the Phoenix Suns.

Options: The Suns will try to use their cap space to lure Lakers free agent Kobe Bryant. Bryant grew up idolizing coach Mike D'Antoni, who played professionally in Italy when Bryant lived there as a child.

MILAN, Italy (AP) -- Kobe Bryant has a special affection for Italian basketball that can be traced to living there for eight years while his father, Joe, played in the nation's top league.

Bryant and his father bought a 50 percent share of Olimpia Milano in Italy's Serie A last December, and now are said to be trying to buy the other 50 percent.

Olimpia, once the perennial powerhouse of Italian basketball, winning 25 titles, has fallen on hard times, and the Bryants want to turn it around.

''It's important for Italian basketball that Olimpia has a winning program,'' Kobe said. ''Our main interest is for the love of basketball, and to have an opportunity to come back and give something back to Italy.

''Our whole philosophy is that you go into a venture not just to make a buck, but because you love what you're doing.''

Bryant said his idol as a youngster was Milan's all-time leading scorer, Mike D'Antoni. The guard rode the bench for the San Antonio Spurs in the 1970s and was fired as the Denver Nuggets' coach after just 50 games in 1999.

D'Antoni wore the No. 8 jersey for Milan. It's no coincidence that Bryant wears that number on his Los Angeles Lakers jersey.

[Karae]

Problem is, even if Phoenix picks up Kobe there's still at least 4 teams in the West better than them, and a couple in the East. I don't see Kobe wanting to sign anywhere that won't immediately provide the opportunity to go deep in the Playoffs. Let's face it, he wants to win more championships and Phoenix isn't a contender, with or without Kobe.

Of course, Kobe probably does think enough of himself to believe that Phoenix would be if he were on the team, so maybe the thought of him signing there isn't too far fetched.

[Winnow]

There's not much more to say. We'll know soon enough. The Suns aren't strangers to bringing in big names. We brought in Barkley and made it to the NBA championship in 1993 losing to the Bulls in 6.

Unlike the pathetic owner of the Arizona Cardinals, Jerry/Brian Colangelo are competent and can accomplish bigtime deals.

Kobe Bryant G 6-6 All Star
Joe Johnson G-F 6-7 Played like an All Star second half of last season
Shawn Marion F 6-7 All Star
Amare Stoudemire F 6-10 Rookie of the year 2 years ago, All Star

This would not be a bad nucleus (young!) and would win some games. The Suns wouldnt have to trade anyone to have that lineup. I'm thinking that the Suns may even be considering Derek Fisher as a PG if Kobe does come. They could probably get him for the 6 million they would have left after signing Kobe. Nash would be too expensive after signing Kobe.

Biggest weakness would be Center where we have crap!

Newly drafted Center Jackson Vroman from Iowa State. (who!?) : )
Zarko Cabarkapa F-C 6-11
Jake Voskuhl C 6-11

That won't get it done at center. There's talk of moving Amare to center but I think that would be a mistake.

[Karae]

Yea, unfortunately you really do need a competent 7-foot+ center to contend in the West. Someone to matchup with the likes of Shaq, Yao, Duncan, Garnett, Webber/Miller/Divacs. Aside from Houston (and maybe Memphis, but Pao is a huge pussy), every Western Conference team to lose in the first round of the Playoffs lost because they didn't have that inside presence. I think if Phoenix can fill that hole, with Kobe, they'd be a contender...but I have a feeling Kobe is looking for something more immediate.

[Canelek]

The package that PDX put together is feeble at best--so I do not see him coming here. Shaq will go somewhere where an owner of a team woos him....and it will take a lot of wooing!!!

As far as LA...... they will have Kobe and whatever...

If LA plays its cards right, they will get him to the East, where his damage will be minimal....until the finals.

[Karae]

hah...as if L.A. can make the Finals without Shaq...and...well...there's no guarantee they'll sign Kobe or that he won't be in jail.

[Pherr the Dorf]

Shaq will be in dallas around aug 1

[flankmen]

From an ESPN report (full story) on Shaq's first players' union meeting on Monday:

People who were in the meeting said O'Neal raised his hand twice during a team-by-team roll call, jokingly claiming to represent the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings. He did not raise his hand when the Lakers were called.