Atlanta Hawks: Shaq open to joining Hawks (UPDATE: Shaq hasn’t heard from Hawks)
Shaq provides muscle but also potential headaches.
Tim Povtak of FanHouse reports that the Hawks have offered Shaquille O’Neal a two-year contact starting at the full mid-level exception. That figure is pegged to the league average salary and won’t be known until the league completes its audit this week but should come in at about $5.5 million for the first season.
I can confirm at least the Shaq half of this story: He’d be interesting in playing for the Hawks, according to a person with knowledge of his free-agent desires. But a person familiar with Atlanta’s plans said it’s doubtful the team has made such an offer this early in the free-agent process. (UPDATE: Shaq’s agent, Perry Rogers, says he hasn’t heard from the Hawks.) The Hawks are seeking a bulky center, and ASG is said to be willing to use the mid-level exception and pay some luxury tax if necessary to do so, but so far it doesn’t appear the Hawks have decided whom else to target after re-signing J.J.
Shaq, 38, just finished the least productive of his 18 seasons. He’s certainly a more physical deterrent in the post than anyone the Hawks have now, and his blocks and rebounds numbers are still pretty good. But Zaza’s production actually compares decently when adjusted for minutes and when accounting for Shaq’s much higher usage rate. And if Shaq were to play a major role for the Hawks it would mean less minutes in the lineup for Al and/or Smoove, who are more effective players.
If the Hawks are looking to make a buzz as Potvak suggests (”They also could use O’Neal’s star appeal to help create some much needed interest in the franchise,” he writes) then Shaq can still do that. But they should be careful what they wish for in that regard. The Hawks are looking to create a more serious and dedicated culture for the team with a first-year coach, and I can tell you from firsthand experience that Shaq probably isn’t going to help that effort. His approach is that of an 18-year vet with four rings and a nonchalant view of the regular season.
If Shaq came to Atlanta, it wouldn’t be long before he’s telling teammates and media that the Hawks simply need to be dominant at home and .500 on the road and everything will be OK. When L.D. says the Hawks need to play with more energy and effort every night to make it a habit, Shaq at some point would suggest the Hawks don’t really need to worry until March. When the Hawks lose games they shouldn’t and slide down the standings, Shaq would shrug and say they just need to hold onto homecourt advantage for the first round and everything will be cool. And if Shaq becomes unhappy with his playing time, then I don’t need to tell you Shaq is not going to be quiet about it.
If the Hawks signed Shaq, he would instantly become the biggest presence in the locker room, the guy with the most cred and the biggest voice. In addition to deciding if Shaq could still help them on the floor, the Hawks would have to be sure this team is ready to handle his off-court influence.
MC
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656 comments Add your comment
Fans in the Stands
July 6th, 2010
12:16 pm
Shaq to the ATL!!! Do it now. There is no one on the Hawks that can draw fans like Shaq. If Atlanta is serious about building a strong fan base, we need the big fellow. Yes we have a good team, but Shaq will help to fill all those empty seats we are known for in the “Highlight Factory.”
TROTTINGHOME
July 6th, 2010
12:23 pm
Can’t see how Bibby has a lot of trade value, at best he is a thrown in. And if Marvin headlines the trade we might throw up with the results.
I’ll eat my grits with sugar and milk if we trade any of our first 6….besides this new offense is going to get tore up…no one is running secret plays in this league…it’s all about who does it the best.
darrell starks
July 6th, 2010
12:25 pm
ASG make the move now and bring in shaq lets change the attitude of this franchise, not bring in shaq will not help this team come playoffs early exit, the hawks need some toughness on this team and shaq bring that, name one player on this team can guard dwight howard no one.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
Could the Hawks really look to trade Josh Smith? – msnbc.com « My NBA Video
July 6th, 2010
12:29 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
hawkfan475
July 6th, 2010
12:30 pm
I would consider Carlos Boozer as a fa option and use O”Neal as a last resort.
terrell
July 6th, 2010
12:33 pm
Freshmaker, where’s JJ in your lineup??
terrell
July 6th, 2010
12:36 pm
Dang Darrell, how many sg’s do you want on the team?
darrell starks
July 6th, 2010
12:46 pm
If the hawks trade josh it better be for a star player like camelo, or chris paul, not no second hand players in this league josh have 2 much value.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
SteveW
July 6th, 2010
12:47 pm
Get Shaq!!!! Potential reward outweighs the risks. And everybody layoff Marvin – back injury in 08-09. Let’s see what he does this year. Seems like a good team player.
GT Alum
July 6th, 2010
12:48 pm
hawkfan475, especially with the teams out there that have cap room, there’s no way Boozer signs for the money we can offer with the exceptions we have available. He would have to come as part of a sign and trade.
darrell starks
July 6th, 2010
12:51 pm
Terrell monta ellis is not a sg he came in this league as a point guard, but the warriors system had him playing out of control the guy is 10 time better than bibby, plus his defense is ok considering what bibby brought 2 the table on defense.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
joBjo
July 6th, 2010
12:52 pm
I like it. Shaq is good with the community and the peeps. that is what Hawks need.
darrell starks
July 6th, 2010
1:03 pm
TRADE MARVIN AND BIBBY AND A FIRST FOR MONTA ELLIS
STARTER MONTA, JOE, CHILL, JOSH, HORFORD
BENCH TEAGUE, JAMAL, MOE, ZAZA, SHAQ
RESERVE CRAWFORD, MOORIS
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
Gamer
July 6th, 2010
1:05 pm
NO TO SHAQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Todd
July 6th, 2010
1:09 pm
Big Diesel a big mistake for the Hawks. If you’re looking for a big presence in the middle I’d rather see Tree Rollins back in the ATL. The Hawks should look more towards Chris Bosh, he’d fit the team well.
cookie19
July 6th, 2010
1:11 pm
If the Hawks pick up Shaq I will never watch another NBA game. They are doing great so far. Let’s keep that way.
yoursporthouse.com
July 6th, 2010
1:26 pm
Sign Shaq, case closed…
Bravefalconhawk
July 6th, 2010
1:37 pm
Brendon Heywood!!!
Hoops
July 6th, 2010
1:50 pm
If the Hawks get Shaq, the Hawks could advertise:
SHAQ-A-HAWK!!!!!
This would be a great sign for the Hawks! Horford-32 minutes, Josh-32 minutes, Shaq-20 minutes, and Zaza-12 minutes. That rotation would keep all four players rested and ready for the playoffs!
Sign him Hawks and make Shaq-A-Hawk!!!
bigdave
July 6th, 2010
1:52 pm
im not sure how some can rationalize trading Josh Smith..
at his best, dude is everywhere on the court.. Josh’s presence and value is more than meets the eye..
darrell starks
July 6th, 2010
2:01 pm
shantrice
July 6th, 2010
2:01 pm
STEEL (Formerly VenomSpitter)
July 6th, 2010
2:01 pm
bigdave are u seriously saying u wouldn’t trade Josh for Chris Paul. I mean anyone else I wouldn’t want to trade him. But if we can get Chris PAul then hell yes trade him.
Freshmaker
July 6th, 2010
2:02 pm
@terrell: Just forgot about him lol. I’d love to keep Smith personally, but if we really wanna go for it and rely on Shaq as a starter then that’s a move we could make. I think Phoenix would actually entertain it too since JS would be about the most they could get for Nash.
shantrice
July 6th, 2010
2:06 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8yZF1HWnzM
darrell starks
July 6th, 2010
2:09 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E7Tp3J9jZg
Max in Missouri
July 6th, 2010
2:12 pm
Shaq deserves a lot better than the Hawks at this point in his career!!!
He’s a true winner and Atlanta, well, just is not. The ownership group is a mess. The team is a joke. JJ is about to sign THE WORST CONTRACT the NBA has EVER seen. I hope that a real contender who could use him (like Dallas or Boston) picks him up.
bigdave
July 6th, 2010
2:26 pm
“are u seriously saying u wouldn’t trade Josh for Chris Paul. I mean anyone else I wouldn’t want to trade him.”
wouldnt do it in the heart beat that others would.. i have no idea what CP and offer going forward. i dont think anyone does. its no guarantee that we get 07-09 Paul.. Josh brings a lot to this team and we’ve invested a lot in him, why trade him now of all times? if you were going to trade him shouldn’t done it years ago. thats like upgrading a female you been dealing with for years, then setting her out and watching her be someone else dime.
bigdave
July 6th, 2010
2:27 pm
*can offer
doc
July 6th, 2010
2:27 pm
newk baby you are well ahead of the curve. man you are talking mean about getting dwight howard at eh end of his rfa.
bigdave
July 6th, 2010
2:29 pm
will try to post these again:
http://www.790thezone.com/instantreplay/Episodes.aspx?PID=1344
bigdave
July 6th, 2010
2:30 pm
http://www.790thezone.com/instantreplay/Episodes.aspx?PID=1345
bigdave
July 6th, 2010
2:31 pm
the links are Sekou
annoying
July 6th, 2010
2:37 pm
slow reader hoops!!!
Progeny
July 6th, 2010
2:40 pm
@Max in Missouri: The worst contract the league has ever seen? Not even the worst contract in the league.
Angela
July 6th, 2010
2:44 pm
Isn’t it time for Shaq to retire? Let it go. Retire gracefully and with some dignity. 38 y/o is not old, however, it is old in the NBA.
Trump7
July 6th, 2010
2:50 pm
Are you crazy? Shaq is just what we need. We need muscle in the middle not points. Shaq would add a boost to the tickets sells also. It is worth a two year deal. I WILL BUY MY SHAG JERSEY SOON AS IT IS ON SALE. PLEASE DO IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ps no disrespect to Za Za he is just not there yet.
Trump7
July 6th, 2010
2:51 pm
Are you crazy? Shaq is just what we need. We need muscle in the middle not points. Shaq would add a boost to the tickets sells also. It is worth a two year deal. I WILL BUY MY SHAQ JERSEY SOON AS IT IS ON SALE. PLEASE DO IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ps no disrespect to Za Za he is just not there yet.
Hawks' Nest Monsta
July 6th, 2010
2:54 pm
Shaq would be an awesome pick up. He’d have to be a back up (i think he’s cool with that). Besides the ticket sales, we got him for one reason: Dwight Howard. I think some of you hawks fans fail to realize that last season’s ONLY problem was the Magic. I think people need to stop exaggerating this ‘chemistry’ issue. Almost none of yall have been in the locker room, so how in the world can you act like you know what’s going on? Shaq’s not gonna pick a fight with little kids. He’s one of the only superstars that I really like. Unless we can get a young, athletic 7-footer, Shaq is the best option.
As for these trade rumors:
Trading Josh would be completely backwards (CP3 would be a close deal, but IMO not worth it). He was our best player last year. I really didn’t think he was going to mature or improve from the season before, but he did. So I have no doubt that he’ll be more than an All-star caliber player this year as well.
Assuming that Childress leaves, trading Marvin would be the worst move we could make. He is hands-down our best defender. Who would replace him at SF? I don’t understand these arguments about Smoov and Horford and their defense. We all know Smoov can defend when he feels like it (which is fairly often), but he’s not laterally quick enough to guard the 3. Horford is undersized, but a decent defender; his problem is that he doesn’t box out (and hence, got embarassed by jason kidd that one game).
skyhawk1
July 6th, 2010
3:06 pm
You should be ashamed to put Shaq and Zaza in the same sentence.
Mystikal
July 6th, 2010
3:14 pm
Wouldn’t mind signing Shaq, but not @ price he wants. I would wait towards end of free agency and let him see that he does not command the money he once did. Then I’d sign him for 2 yrs @ 2 to 3$ million a year with that 2nd yr being a team option. Make sure he knows that if he becomes a problem than he can be gone. If he has issue with all that (certainly will) then let him bouce and suggest he retire.
Freshmaker
July 6th, 2010
3:20 pm
I don’t *think* we could do that, Mystikal. I believe all we have is the MLE and one other exemption to work with. So it’d be either the minimum or the MLE, which I believe is between $5M – $6M per year.
Puppet Master
July 6th, 2010
3:21 pm
Is Al being shopped around? Are the Warriors still pursuing Al?
http://www.nbadimensions.net/forums/trading-blocks/56597-warriors-trading-block.html
Bobb
July 6th, 2010
3:22 pm
I think the Hawks have to go after Shaq if they want to get past the secound round of the playoffs and have a change at the title. Shaq would be a great person to have to go push the Hawks to the next level. Shaq knows what it take to get to the title and how to win it. He will do his part which is all Hawks need to get past Olando. I am sick of just hope we can win a championship. It time to know we can win. Shaq could be the key. How else can we get to what we what. There is no other center out their that can give us size as well as be effective against Olando center. We must take a chance. And trust own new coach to make this work. If he can’t then he just is not the right man for the job. Because great coaches can make it work. If he the right coach then he should be able to make it work. Just making the playoffs is not good enough any more and it time we fan let the player and coaches and owners know that. We want a championship and thats the bottom line!
Big Ray
July 6th, 2010
3:22 pm
Shaq is not THE answer, as he is no longer a top 5 center. A top 5 center must be able to play 30-something minutes a game, for starters. You can pretty much stop it right there.
We’d all like him to come here and play in limited minutes, guarding the one guy we have issues with in the East: Dwight Howard. Really, that’s about all we’d need him for. He routinely gets destroyed on the pick and roll, which Al Horford guards quite well. The issues in the locker room are real. Cleveland is a cautionary tale on Shaq and how he fits a team these days.
O'Brien
July 6th, 2010
3:25 pm
Freshmaker, Mystikal,
Although the mid-level is ~$6 mil, if I’m not mistaken, we dont have to give it all to one player. For example, we can sign 3 players for $2 mil each.
That being said, I think Shaq will get more than $2-$3 mil. After teams lose out in free agency, they will take a chance on Shaq. And teams over the cap like Boston and Dallas are also interested in him.
If Shaq is willing to accept 20-24 minutes per game coming off the bench, then I am okay with the signing (on the court, and off the court).
Knowledge Quest
July 6th, 2010
3:27 pm
Actually, another site is reporting that Al is on the trade block. The hawks players in red are franchise players and the ones in black are being shopped around by the hawks. You may also want to book mark this site because its keeps up with the Hawks.
http://realbasketballtalk.motionsforum.com/nba-the-reality-f76/the-official-atlanta-hawks-trading-block-t5069.htm
O'Brien
July 6th, 2010
3:29 pm
Big Ray,
Which free agent center would you be interested in that might be available for the MLE?
Big Ray
July 6th, 2010
3:29 pm
Al Horford is NOT being shopped, and the post by “Puppet Master” is a blog discussion forum, wherein a fantasy league type of conversation is going on. So don’t fall for it.
Josh Smith isn’t being shopped either, but the Hawks are making it known that they will listen to offers.
This tells us that as popular as Smith is, and as good as he can be, the Hawks are serious about adding size without giving up too much talent. They’re serious about chemistry and fit. Some people believe that the chemistry issues on this team exist largely between Josh and Joe.
Well guess what? Joe will be signing a massive contract in a couple of days, to remain a Hawk. Just sayin’…
I like Josh, and I like what he brings to the game….when he brings it. I’ve never advocated trading him unless it makes the team better. If it does, then go for it.
Big Ray
July 6th, 2010
3:37 pm
O’brien ,
I’m cool with him coming off the bench, but not as our permanent solution at the 5. But as MC says, if Shaq ain’t happy, then there’s nothing but headache to come from it. We lack leadership on the court for different reasons. What does Shaq do to this situation? Without strong leaders, he can be a less-than-optimal influence, to put it mildly.
Again, if he can come off the bench happily and help out rather than be a bother, go for it.
Otherwise, give me a Brendan Haywood, Jermaine O’Neal (probably less than the MLE, if we can manage it), or somebody like that. Those guys can rebound and block shots, and give Howard some trouble by themselves.
Of course, we could trade for Golden State’s Andris Biedrins…