Shaquille O’Neal’s arrival in Cleveland has everyone in Ohio buzzing, but how long this happy union last? Shaq is due to earn $20 million next season, and is in the last year of his contract, meaning that he could be a serious salary dump should the LeBron-Shaq experiment experience any type of downward spiral by February. It’s something that GM Danny Ferry mentioned in a recent media meeting, and it’s something worth considering. Shaq is 37-years-old, after all.

Last season, Shaq had a slight resurgence, posting his best stats in four seasons with 17.8 points per game, 8.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks while leading the NBA in field-goal percentage. However, the two seasons before that, Shaq averaged just 13.5 points per game. He can still dominate the rim due to his unbelievable size and agility, but he’s lost the mobility and quickness that made him the most dominant big man the game has ever seen.


A few interesting plays would sit out there for the Cleveland Cavaliers should Shaq’s season go sideways. Sadly, none of those would include sending Shaq back to Phoenix in exchange for the most logical sidekick for LeBron – Amare Stoudemire. He’s stuck in Phoenix and isn’t going anywhere until the summer of 2010.

Chris Bosh – Toronto Raptors (+8000 To Win NBA Title)
Bosh has been in rumor mills for the past year, mostly because the Toronto Raptors are such a waste of time in the Eastern Conference title picture. As I’ve said before, if you’re walking in to fight these are five names you wouldn’t walk in to it with: Calderon, DeRozan, Turkoglu, Bosh, Bargnani. The Toronto Raptors are virtually destined to fail, and Colangelo has been savvy when it comes to making trades that bolster Toronto’s future.

The GM for Toronto is like that guy in your fantasy football league who pulls of two trades a week just for the hell of it. He can’t help himself. If there’s any single hint that Bosh would leave Toronto in the Summer of 2010, the Raptors would be well served to at least bring in Shaq to boost ticket sales during a lingering second-half and trade Bosh to a contender. Bosh is the ultimate second-banana because of his 22.7 ppg scoring touch, along with his curious “softness”. He’s athletic and long, and his desire to win knows no bounds. Colangelo could certainly get some interesting assets from Cleveland if he dangles Bosh out there.

David Lee – New York Knicks ( +6000 To Win NBA Title)
Shaq in New York? Sounds like a match made in heaven. Not only is Mike D’Antoni Shaq’s former coach, David Lee is becoming one of the hottest commodities in the NBA. Lee was third in the NBA with 11.8 rebounds per game last year, and his big body and reliable work ethic would be a welcome asset to Cleveland, especially if Shaq has any injury issues.

Carlos Boozer – Utah Jazz (+1800 To Win NBA Title)
Shock value! What has a better chance of happening? Shaq going back to Phoenix or Boozer going back to Cleveland? We’ve seen crazier things happen in the NBA, but with Boozer entering a contract year this season, trading salary dumps would be an ideal situation for the Jazz, while giving the Cavs the power-forward back who was supposed to be LeBron’s sidekick. That is, of course, unless Boozer gets to be Wade’s sidekick instead…

These are options are just a tickling of the furious rumor mill that will start spinning should this experiment with Shaq hit the wall come February. Danny Ferry nearly cost himself his job when he balked at the chance to trade for Shaq last year, and then ended up pulling the trigger well after the Cavs had been flushed out of the NBA Playoffs by the Orlando Magic. Do not expect Ferry to sit idly by this February if things aren’t perfect for King James.


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