Some thoughts from some of the national writers around this good nation:
ESPN.com's John Hollinger:
Shaq doesn't need to pitch a shutout. Cleveland just needs more resistance than it showed in the conference finals, when Howard tormented the Cavs for 25.8 points per game on 65 percent shooting to usher them out of the playoffs.
History has shown Shaq can provide that resistance, which is why this deal is a good one for Cleveland now — and would have been an even better one four months ago.
Nonetheless, the Cavs still are in a far better position than the Suns are. And in contrast to Phoenix's proclamation 16 months ago that it was acquiring Shaq to win a title, the Cavs now seem to be in position to actually do so.
ESPN.com's A.J. Adande:
James is going to have to make some major adjustments next season. O'Neal isn't the type who can just play off another guy. He's at his best when the offense starts with him and runs through him. James hasn't played with someone like that before. He also hasn't played with someone who occupies so much space in the paint, something it took Steve Nash a while to get used to after O'Neal was traded to Phoenix in February 2008.
That's a great trade for the Cavaliers.
FOX's Charley Rosen:
… since it's virtually inconceivable that even with Shaq the Cavs can total more than the 66 wins they posted last season, this trade is exclusively geared to enable Cleveland to beat Orlando in the playoffs.
It's also tempting to picture what might occur should the Cavs face the Lakers in the Finals. How about this scenario?
Pau Gasol turns, faces, and routinely beats Shaq with jumpers, drives, and spins. Because Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum are much quicker off the floor, they will beat Shaq to the top of numerous rebounds at both ends of the court.
And Shaq winds up shooting two dozen free throws per game.
In other words, adding Shaq to the mix is no guarantee that the Cavs will win the very last game of the 2009-10 season.
Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski:
The greatest storyline in the sport returns to relevance, with Shaquille O'Neal back in the chase for his fifth championship. Dwight and Stan, Kobe and Phil are waiting in the distance now, and Shaq is desperate to have the final word for them all.
The hate fuels his fury, inspires his journey and the Cavaliers need to stoke it all within Shaq. Here Shaq comes to Cleveland, here comes hell to pay.
Yahoo's Kelly Dwyer:
Let's not be stupidly simple about things if the Cavs fall short again. They were supposed to lose to the Magic last month. The Magic were the better team.
I don't know who the better team is, at this point, with Shaq on board. Because if Brown does his job and O'Neal finally learns to respect authority and clears the lane, then this could work.
And when you factor in what Cleveland gave up? Two non-rotation players who contribute absolutely nothing, for a center who contributed 18 points and over eight rebounds in only 30 minutes a game last year? Come on. You have to make that deal.
AOL's Jay Marriotti (for Terje):
They just helped themselves by acquiring The Big Smokestack. The winter nights will be cold in Cleveland, as usual, but the arena will be the hottest place to be in basketball.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
gotta give jay "the weasel" mariotti props for "the big smokestack".
The more I see photos of James in France in shorts on the beach with his buddy Maverick, and now moving his summer camp out of Akron to the beaches of San Diego, the more I get the feeling is it's not just New York or bust. I think he may fire folks a Luis Tiant curveball.
terje, with all the warped ridiculous sense of civic pride about Nate Thurmond … uh, I mean Shaq coming to play in a burg like Cleveland, I'll be surprised if one of the local media misfits doesn't just give him the clever nickname of "Michael Stanley." And then arbitrarily burst out into the verses of "My Town" in the middle of a column.
Not that you're a misfit, Pat.
Oh, I'm a proud misfit Alan.
Have to admit I chuckled out loud at the Nate Thurmond bomb.
You know what? Has anyone been paying attention for the past 45 years? I have. I was 11 in 1964. I thought my sports fan universe would be normal. I now realize it isn't, and never will be. So I'll go on record here and now. This will mean nothing. There will be no championship in 2010. LeBron will get a ring, but it will be wearing another city's jersey. Sorry guys. Hate to rain on the happy parade, but that is the Cleveland reality. Go ahead Pat. Save this post. I will be right.
Now, Dan, don't get so angry. Of course, you are correct that whatever could go wrong, does go wrong when a Cleveland team is in the playoffs. And the premise that this trade is to stop Dwight Howard, is also flawed. Next year it might be Marcus Camby killing us inside, who knows? So, just look at the big picture: An aging, somewhat eccentric, but still powerful hoopster is coming to town, and we have to wait nearly 4 months before we see if he's any use to the Cavaliers. What's the big deal?
I could have sworn Cleveland had a soccer team, World Team Tennis team, or some other team that has technically won a championship since 1964. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong.
By the way, it's a shame that knucklehead Ferry couldn't have worked out a trade with the Wizards. It's Ernie Grunfeld's worst nightmare come true, Ricky Rubio fell all the way to 5. If James was ever going to come back to Cleveland, it would have to be for something like that. Man, can you imagine how giddy James would be if he had somebody just born to feed him the ball for the rest of his career? There wouldn't even be a question if he'd still like to play in Cleveland, it would be like having a Buick lifted off of his shoulders.
I was reading an AP report when I got home, has anybody heard of this Victoria's Secret model named Christian Eyenga? I don't know much about her or why she was in a report about the Cleveland Cavaliers, but according to the report, this gal Christian Eyenga makes Adriana Lima look like a bowl of Alpo.
Eyenga makes me wonder if Ferry either outsmarted himself again or decided to just throw another pick away. DeJaun Blair, Sam Young, Chase Budinger, Nick Calathes–none of those guys could help the Cavs?
It looks dumb on the surface, but if you dig a little deeper, it's just more of Ferry's and Gilbert's wily ways to successfully fool the populace.
What's a 30th selection of the first-round normally get, about a million? Let's say it's a million. Which means Gilbert, assuming they have to go into luxury tax territory (which is no certainty yet, despite the lies about Gilbert "spending" to acquire O'Neal) saves $2 million by having Ferry drafting some guy , then using the rationale that they're storing him overseas for "seasoning" (what is this dude, a roast duck?), with really no intent to ever sign him. So, a money-saving move. Which leads me to wily reason #2, which is now they won't have to cut a guy prior to the season starts, and simply make themselves look like the scouting maroons they are.
i was thinking the same thing when they picked that guy. they don't even want to pay the last pick in the first round.
More evidence of San Antonio's brains and San Antonio ridding themselves of a lack of one: DeJuan Blair. They got this guy in the second-round. Averaged 15.7 points and 12.3 rebounds a game. He's a little over 6'6" with shoes, but if he puts his arms up, he's measured at 7'2". Rebounding ALWAYS transfers to the pro game. The only problem is Blair is missing ligaments in his knees, so doctors think he may wear down years from now. But who cares? Zero risk, high reward.
The Cavaliers couldn't use him? I guess saving a few bucks is all that really matters.
Hey, I see Pat's pass-receiving buddy J.J. is suing the Browns. I always love the spectacle of a good suit.
If you love the spectacle of a good suit you should have seen my prom tuxedo, alan.
I agree it's the money with this Congo fellow, but it's a dumb plan–every good player you draft is one less high paid veteran you have to sign. That would take some scouting, though.