Miami Swishes a $90-Million Bank Shot

By Dave Hyde

July 11, 2004 12 AM PT

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

On a sports morning to consider the shimmering future, but before we go awash in superlatives, let’s remember our manners. Let’s do what’s right. Let’s say thanks to those who put Shaquille O’Neal in Heat colors.

Thank you, Kobe Bryant, for being such an oppressive egoist that your desire to throw Shaq overboard overcame your desire to keep winning titles.

Thank you, Laker owner Jerry Buss, for taking Kobe’s side.

Thank you, Maverick owner Mark Cuban, for not including Dirk Nowitzki in your trade proposal (though it probably wouldn’t have mattered).

Thank you, Lamar Odom, for one terrific season where you resurrected your career.

Thank you, Indiana, for being so cold in February.

Thank you, Sacramento, for being in the Western Conference, where the Lakers made sure O’Neal wouldn’t land to face them squarely for the rest of his career.

Thank you, Brian Grant, for playing with bad knees and a big heart.

Thank you, Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak, for not being able to make peace between your stars or talk sense to your owner.

Thank you, New Orleans, for moving to the West next season (if the Hornets were in the East, they would have everything to trump the Heat’s proposal).

Thank you, Heat owner Mickey Arison, for signing off on a deal, even though it makes all kinds of business sense because nearly $90 million in contracts move to the Lakers over the next three years, which is precisely what O’Neal could cost the Heat over that span.

Thank you for all those teams that allowed Caron Butler to drop to the Heat in the 10th spot of the 2002 draft, as well as Butler for proving them wrong.

Thank you, Shaq, for loving warm weather so much that you tied any trade to the sun.

Thank you for the sunny latitude and eastern longitude of South Florida.

And, finally, thank you, Pat Riley, for taking this shot, for landing your sport’s dominant player, for pulling off the biggest trade in South Florida history and for not listening to the silly questions about Shaq’s age (32), injuries (growing), fitness (not great in recent seasons) or whether there is enough Heat talent around him (maybe) and whether he mortgaged the future.

Mortgaged the future? Exactly what future was being lost? Can anyone be sure last spring’s Heat core will reach anything beyond last spring in the coming years?

The Dolphins have judiciously and conservatively managed all front-office decisions by weighing the present against the future. Where has it gotten them?

The Panthers have judiciously built a young talent core with no concern for the present. But who has any idea where it might take them?

Riley had a once-a-basketball-generation chance to land the NBA’s dominant player. A unique and somewhat mystifying set of circumstances lined up for this franchise like planets. That it is happening at all seems to have taken even Riley by surprise.

Do you think if he expected a few weeks ago that O’Neal had a mosquito’s chance in winter of coming here he would have drafted a high school kid (Dorell Wright) in the draft instead of a college-polished point guard in Jameer Nelson? Or wouldn’t have thrown the $5 million at one of the supporting-cast players who now look golden?

Shaq is coming. Here. Now. It’s the news that stuns.

This past season, the Heat began to matter locally again. Overnight, this move makes it matter nationally again. Overnight, it’s more than a basketball team.

It’s a show. It’s a happening.

Everything changes now.

Every game will be the kind of event in an event-driven town that promises a stretch of sellouts.

On Friday, gambling that this trade might happen, a friend of mine bought two more season tickets. He beat the rush, as well as any increase in prices. He feels like a lottery winner. Don’t all sports fans in South Florida today?

The Lakers’ loss is the Heat’s joy.

It’s difficult to know what to say right now, except these two words:

Thank you.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Trading Places

Career statistics of players involved in the proposed trade between the Lakers and Miami Heat:

LAKERS ACQUIRE

* LAMAR ODOM Age: 24. Pos: Forward. Ht: 6-10. Wt: 225. College: Rhode Island.

After showing flashes of brilliance in a four-year stint with the Clippers that was plagued by injuries and violations of the NBA’s substance abuse program, Odom had a breakthrough season with Miami in 2003-04. He helped lead the Heat into the second round of the playoffs. Odom’s ability to rebound and create matchup problems could give the Lakers an added dimension. He’s also a better defender than most people think.

*--* SEASON TEAM G GS MPG FG% RPG APG PPG 1999-00 Clippers 76 70 36.4 43.8 7.80 4.2 16.6 2000-01 Clippers 76 74 37.3 46.0 7.80 5.2 17.2 2001-02 Clippers 29 25 34.4 41.9 6.10 5.9 13.1 2002-03 Clippers 49 47 34.3 43.9 6.70 3.6 14.6 2003-04 Miami 80 80 37.5 43.0 9.70 4.1 17.1 310 296 36.4 44.0 8.00 4.5 16.2

*--*

* BRIAN GRANT Age: 32. Pos: Forward. Ht: 6-9. Wt: 254. College: Xavier.

Grant’s preferred position is power forward, but he has logged considerable time at center. He has averaged 11.4 points and eight rebounds while shooting 49.1% in his career. Grant had his best season in 2000-01. He was drafted eighth overall by Sacramento in 1994 and played three seasons with the Kings and three with Portland before joining the Heat in 2000.

*--* SEASON TEAM G GS MPG FG% RPG APG PPG 1994-95 Sacramento 80 59 28.6 51.1 7.5 1.2 13.2 1995-96 Sacramento 78 75 30.7 50.7 7.0 1.6 14.4 1996-97 Sacramento 24 15 25.3 44.0 5.9 1.2 10.5 1997-98 Portland 61 49 31.5 50.8 9.1 1.4 12.1 1998-99 Portland 48 46 31.8 47.9 9.8 1.4 11.5 1999-00 Portland 63 14 21.0 49.1 5.5 1.0 7.3 2000-01 Miami 82 79 33.8 47.9 8.8 3.6 15.2 2001-02 Miami 72 72 31.3 46.9 8.0 1.7 9.3 2002-03 Miami 82 82 32.2 50.9 10.2 1.3 10.3 2003-04 Miami 76 76 30.3 47.1 6.9 0.9 8.7 666 567 30.1 49.1 8.0 1.3 11.4

*--*

* CARON BUTLER Age: 24. Pos: Guard/Forward. Ht: 6-7. Wt: 217. College Connecticut.

Butler was selected 10th overall by Miami in 2002 and had a strong rookie season. But Butler’s playing time declined last season with the addition of Odom and rookie Dwayne Wade and his numbers dropped. Butler is not a great perimeter shooter but can cut to the basket and should prosper in an up-tempo offense.

*--* SEASON TEAM G GS MPG FG% RPG APG PPG 2002-03 Miami 78 78 36.6 41.6 5.1 2.7 15.4 2003-04 Miami 68 56 29.9 38.0 4.8 1.9 9.2 146 134 33.5 40.2 5.0 2.3 12.5

*--*

MIAMI ACQUIRES

* SHAQUILLE O’NEAL Age: 32. Pos: Center. Ht: 7-1. Wt: 340. College: Louisiana State.

*--* SEASON TEAM G GS MPG FG% RPG APG PPG 1992-93 Orlando 81 81 37.9 56.2 13.9 1.9 23.4 1993-94 Orlando 81 81 39.8 59.9 13.2 2.4 29.3 1994-95 Orlando 79 79 37.0 58.3 11.4 2.7 29.3 1995-96 Orlando 54 52 36.0 57.3 11.0 2.9 26.6 1996-97 Lakers 51 51 38.1 55.7 12.5 3.1 26.2 1997-98 Lakers 60 57 36.3 58.4 11.4 2.4 28.3 1998-99 Lakers 49 49 34.8 57.6 10.7 2.3 26.3 1999-00 Lakers 79 79 40.0 57.4 13.6 3.8 29.7 2000-01 Lakers 74 74 39.5 57.2 12.7 3.7 28.7 2001-02 Lakers 67 66 36.1 57.9 10.7 3.0 27.2 2002-03 Lakers 67 66 37.8 57.4 11.1 3.1 27.5 2003-04 Lakers 67 67 36.8 58.4 11.5 2.9 21.5 809 802 37.7 57.7 12.1 2.9 27.1

*--*

-- Lonnie White

Centers of Attention

How Shaquille O’Neal’s career statistics rate among all-time centers in points per game, field-goal percentage, rebounds per game and blocks per game:

SCORING

1. Wilt Chamberlain 30.1

2. Shaquille O’Neal 27.1

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 24.6

4. George Mikan 22.6

5. Bob McAdoo 22.1

6. Hakeem Olajuwon 21.8

FIELD-GOAL PERCENTAGE

1. Artis Gilmore 59.9

2. Mark West 58.0

3. Shaquille O’Neal 57.7

4. Steve Johnson 57.2