So Shaq won a title in his eighth season. That's much slower than Jordan. He won his first in his seventh season. And how many did Wilt win? One? As for Shaq guarding Ming. Ming will be able to get a mid range jumper but nothing else. Shaq will just push him out on any post attempts. Also, anyone who thinks Yao can take Shaq off the dribble is fooling themselves. More like the other way around. I'd trade Yao for Shaq. Shaq's foot is a concern, but he's the best player in the league, and I think the odds that Yao will every be that good are slim.
Hey guys, Laker fans are laughing at us with this "Would you trade Ming for Shaq???" thread. Take a look. Me and one of their moderators are trading jabs. http://www.lakersground.net/~board/viewtopic.php?topic=28529&forum=1&24
That is awesome JBII, it was fun to see their comments. I like how some of the Lakers fans actually wanted Ming. And I like how they could act so arrogant and blind like we can too.
So, by you're logic you would have traded Kobe Bryant for Michael Jordan back in 1996...is that what you're trying to say? Jordan was dominant at the time and he could have won the Lakers maybe two or three more championships before he retired. Kobe was totally unproven and even MORE of a question mark than Yao Ming. Sure, winning those two or three championships with MJ before he retired would have been good for Lakers fans, but would it have been as good as winning three titles with Kobe <b>AND still having him on your team for another decade</b>? Of course not! No Laker fan would look back now and say damn, I wish we would have made that trade. What about Kevin Garnett for Karl Malone? Would you have done that back in 95. Or why don't Lakers fans look at their own team. This is a much less signicant example because Kobe wasn't near as hyped as Yao Ming, and Vlade definitely wasn't dominat like Shaq. But it's still an example of trading an established player for somone who hasn't proven a damn thing in the NBA. The funny thing is, if the Lakers management took this advice, the Lakers would have never acquired Kobe. You're only looking at this from one side. The risks involved go both ways. Sure, Yao <b>might</b> be a dominant player. And guess what else: 1.) Yao <b>might</b> be a good player, and the best center in the league for ten years when Shaq leaves. 2.) Shaq <b>might</b> play in the NBA for more than two or three years. 3.) Shaq's arthritic toe <b>might</b> be fixed allowing him to play without pain. 4.) Shaq <b>might</b> win another championship. By the way, is that really so hard to believe? I don't think anyone can say that a team with Shaq on it will definitely win. Especially after they were one lucky bounce away from losing to the Kings last season. If you (or other Laker fans) don't see the risk that is also involved with trading a player who has potential for a veteran player approaching the twilight of his career then I should just stop now.
Shaq is the best player in the league and if we got him, then we become instant title favorites. However, with his injuries and ever increasing weight, I don't know how much longer Shaq can play at this high level. I mean it would sorta suck to have him for 3 years and then have to re-build all over again. Plus there is something satisfying about doing it this way with the rebuilding methond. Yes, it has been long and torturous, but I see a light at the end of the tunnel and Yao Ming is a big part of that light. So, I am going to have to pass on this, although something told me that we would have to give up more players in addition to Ming.
Ummm, yes. In 1996, Kobe was a early to mid first round pick, a high school player who had an equal chance of becoming Moses Malone or Daryl Dawkins. Jordan was lauded as the best player in the history of the game. Not only would I have made that trade, but so would Jerry West and anybody with a pulse. In hindsight, would it have been so easy? no. But in hindsight, would you have given Kelvin Cato a big long term deal? That's the problem with betting on potential , sometimes you lose, especially when talking about greatness. And a great player of Jordan, O'neals caliber is so rare that you just don't want to pass it up.
Do you really need to explain the risks involved with betting on potential? Come on, everybody already knows this. But do I need to explain to you the the risk involved with trading a 21 year old player who has potential to be a dominant player in the league for several years for someone who has injury problems and is approaching the twilight of his career? That's a risk too. You're risking your long-term future for a short-term gain when you make a deal like this. Surely you can see this. And we don't know how long Shaq will play just like we don't know how good or bad Yao Ming will be. Shaq may only be able to play two more years, maybe he'll be able to play ten more years. Hell, maybe the pain will still be there after he gets surgery in two weeks and he'll decide its just not worth it to continue playing. And yes, I agree that even Jerry West might have traded Kobe for Michael Jordan back in '96. But in hindsight it obviously would have been a definite mistake. And knowing Jerry West he probably foresaw how good Kobe would be, in which case he would have never made the trade. Seeing as Kobe still has at least ten more years ahead of him and is arguably the best player in basketball, while Jordan at the same time can't even finish playing an NBA season. Anyways, you're right, that case is different. Kobe was not as hyped coming into the NBA as Yao Ming. Maybe Jerry West saw how good Kobe was going to be, but obviously nobody else did. We're talking about trading the #1 pick in the draft here...not a guy who barely cracks the lottery. Ask the team that ends up with the Lebron James pick next year if they would trade it for Shaq? You're going to be a little more careful when you're trading a guy who you believe is the best choice in the entire rookie class of the NBA.
I don't know if Jordan over Bryant would be a "definite mistake". It would be a definite mistake only in the way that drafting Olajuwon over Jordan was a definite mistake, which most of us around here are perfectly happy with, even in hindsight with Jordan becoming the so called greatest ever etc. I just think it's so hard to win a title these days that you don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Plus, if I am a GM, I want to keep my job, so I go for the quick fix.
I think if Jordan played with Shaq this year, they would still have a chance of a championship as long as his knees held up. Anyone during the 96 would give up Kobe for Jordan.
If Jordan was the last pice of the puzzle then without hesitation I make that trade. Of coarse Jordan would have to have given me a promise that he would not retire. If Jordan didn't retire he would have dominated the league for at very least 4 more years. That would be four more titles added to my team. Potential is nice to have but Championships are better in my opinion. Even with his toe problems Shaq has at least 3 more dominant seasons left in him (he's only 30 years old). You put Shaq on the Rockets right now, and the Rockets have three more Championship banners to hang in the rafters while Kobe sits all by his lonesome in LA. Kobe is a great player but he's no Jordan.
No way!!!!!!! Here is the question? Is shaq really that good and the best player in nba? i dont think so. Is he better than tim ducan? no way. If you switch tim and shaq, who would have beaten up who? of course laker would still win, no doubt about that. of course, with kobe, horry and other supports like 27 free threw in one quater, he can still win maybe another ring, but if you put him in rox, the result would be very disappointing!!! I really believe ming would be better than shaq, if not much better, and right now even tim is better than shaq.
"I don't want to buy the championship like the NY Yankees. We've drafted, and traded a potential competitive team." Posada, Rivera, Mendoza, Pettitte, Jeter, Williams. Collier, Maddox, Thomas, Mobley, Yao, Nachbar. Four all-stars compared to 1 fringe all-star and 1 possible all-star. Just think about it.
Ming has great potential but he is no Shaq who would bring us close to another championship,but I think this is a irrelevant question because the Lakers will never trade Shaq for Ming.
