[ESPN] Shaq agrees to 5 year deal for $100 million

It's better than paying him $25MM/yr but the Heat will still be suffering big time the last 3 years of this contract. I give Shaq 2 more very good years before he and the contract are clearly burden on that franchise. And that's assuming injuries don't slow him down sooner.

 

They are going to pay him until he's 37 with 20 mil per. That's what shaq is worth right now, but 37 for 20 mil? I am with u on that one.

 

It's Shaq. Does anyone think he would have signed for less? Heck, he probably thinking he gave them a discount!
God, I'm glad that contract isn't part of our payroll. Agree that Miami is taking a huge risk.

 

No kidding! I think he's paid untill after 38. He will be done way before then! His knee's just won't be able to handle him anymore.

 

You know, if it were 60 million for three years I'd say that makes sense. I'm not sure that they'd get their full money's worth even then, but there is only one Shaq. Five years 100 million though? Wow. You know, if the Lakers gave him that I could say "Well, he gave them three championships. That's fair enough." but what does Miami owe Shaq?

 

Total waste of $ considering the Heat won't even get one title out of it.....all parades for the next few seasons are already scheduled to take place in H-Town

 

wonder what happened to the over 36 rule?

 

Seems like they are going for the gold, especially if they can land some of their rumored wishlist like D.Stodamire and A.Walker.

 

I honestly don't think Shaq is looking to play 5 more years. I think of this more like a three-year $100 million pact at 33 per (what daddy feels he's really worth), organized instead over five years so the Heat can afford to put pieces around Shaq and Wade for the 2-3 years Shaq is still an elite player/they have championship aspirations.

After that (in other words, whenever Shaq decides to retire), I'm sure they'll just cut him and give him the rest of his money

The remaining 2-3 years of that contract, of course, will cripple their rebuilding plans for a little while, but I'm sure all of the interested parties (Shaq, Wade, Riley, Heat fans) would rather see the team put pieces around Shaq and Wade in the hopes of title runs for the next 2-3 years, knowing that the following two years will be financially crippled, instead of giving Shaq $100 million over the next three, not having enough to get over the hump anyways, and then going back to being just another playoff team once Shaq retires.

 

I said in the other thread that giving Shaq 3 years 60 million will make more sense.

Shaq is about done. I never saw him so vulnerable in this years' playoff. He could barely move in some of the games and looked like totally worn out. I can't believe Heat still gave him a 5 years' contract. Again, it is Shaq and it is his last chance to make a deal. If Heat doesn't give him 5 years contract, other teams will, and Heat can't offer that. Basically, they are stuck with him.

 

$1 , , .

 

Sorry I'm not very familiar with the NBA pay system, but I thought the most a player can get is the max contract, which is about 12m/year(?). How does Shaq, and previously Jordan get massive contracts of over 20m or even 30m??

 

My thoughts exactly. Shaq can't possibly play for 5 more years, but Miami have to eat a lot of luxury tax money if they give him what's he's worth this year. It does mess up the Heat 3-5 years down the road. But they're obviously going for it all this year and next.

Max contract is different for different people. Shaq signed his 1st big contract, along the lines of 7yrs/$120+ mil, before there was ever a limit on max contract. So he had a much higher starting point than the younger players, whose first max contract is only limited to I believe 25% of the cap as a starting point. Shaq also added a 3yr extension to the above deal, receiving a nice incremental salary increase each. Add them all up, and it's not hard to imagine why he can make so much money each year.

 

Am I the only one who is mildy impressed that he could have asked for any amount and Miami was willing to pay it but he decided to not destroy the team and team and take less?

He could have gotten 28-30 million if he wanted to.

 

I would be mildly impressed if he retired 3 years from now and didn't ask for the rest of his money. He will be an anchor around Miami's neck - there's no way that his body is going to hold up. The only question is when it happens.

 

Didn't the Lakers offer him more money just over a year ago? He said something like he won't take less than he is worth or some crap like that. Wow what a hypocrite. He must've hated Kobe more than anybody realizes. Anyways, he's Miami's problem now. Pity, I like Dwayne Wade too.

 

i don't understand how he can make that much more than the max of like $15 mil. a season but oh well... anyway, i can't stand the people who say he's taking a pay cut like $100 million is chopped liver. that's more money than we'll see in 50 lifetimes, i don't see shaq as a guy trying to help out the organization by taking "only" $100 million, that's such garbage.

regardless, the heat are going to hate this deal in a couple of years because shaq only has about 2 years left after what i saw last year.

plus, how much is walker making??? i'm seeing it very difficult for them to stay anywhere near the salary cap come time for them to sign dwyane wade long term...

 

Shaq was grandfathered, which is what he will be by the time his new deal is done.

 

He did have that deep thigh bruise that slowed him down but that is not a lingering injury that will affect him next season. This was a contract that satisfied both sides, gives Shaq the 3yr/34m per that he wanted from Buss albeit extended for 2 more years and gives Miami 14M/yr cap flexibility. The Heat have a 2 year window to win a championship, if they do, this contract will have been the right thing to do.

I am more amazed at the changes Miami made in the offseason. You wouldn't think that a team that was so close to going to the finals would revamp the roster like they did.