Cavs' pursuit of Shaq was masterpiece theater for LeBron
It's a well-known fact a cactus can't grow in Cleveland. For that reason, and others, the Big Cactus will stay in Phoenix.
Like everyone else, I was trying to wrap my tiny brain around Shaquille O'Neal playing in Cleveland with LeBron James. I couldn't imagine it. I'm not sure it would've been the right move for the Cavs. If I'm reading this right, the Cavs weren't so sure, either.
But the biggest buzz in the final hours before Thursday's trade deadline centered around Cleveland's 11th-hour bid for Shaq. And there's only one way that could've been a bad thing for the Cavs: If it actually happened.
That's why I agree with some rival team executives who asserted Thursday that Cleveland's play for O'Neal was little more than a show for LeBron James. I liked Cleveland's aggressive posture leading into the deadline, but I don't buy that O'Neal was ever a viable option.
"I think it was blowing smoke," one rival exec said.
"I think they're swinging for the fences, knowing that they're probably not going to get a pitch to hit," another said. "Then LeBron sees that they're trying to do stuff. They're at the plate, but they'll take a walk before they swing at a pitch over their head."
I agree. And I would've done the same thing.
Cavs GM Danny Ferry made a serious bid for Washington's Antawn Jamison, a smooth-shooting power forward who would've pushed Cleveland past the Celtics in the East and made them a viable threat to the Lakers if they met in the NBA Finals. But Washington quickly rebuffed the inquiries, resisting the temptation to break up a team that never had a chance to get off the ground with injuries to Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood.
There were some ideas exchanged between Cleveland and Milwaukee about Richard Jefferson, but the Cavs' preference clearly was to add another big man. How does Cleveland go from targeting a legitimate piece like Jamison or Jefferson to courting Shaq? By doing what Shaq does best these days -- putting on a show. It wasn't 100 percent ruse, because you lose credibility as a GM if you engage in fake trade talks. But I don't think Ferry ever thought he had a realistic chance of landing Shaq.
"Both sides sort of kicked tires," a person familiar with the discussions said, "but it never went anywhere."
That's good. I understand Kobe needed Shaq to win his championships, but that was five years ago. Ditto for Dwyane Wade, but that was three years ago. It would've been a heck of a news conference in the Quicken Federally Modified Loans Arena. But they had one of those in Phoenix a year ago, and how have things worked out since?
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| Shaquille O'Neal might not have been the best fit in Cleveland. (Getty Images) |
A common question leading into the deadline was whether the Cavs have enough to topple the Celtics and challenge the Lakers for the title. I think they're fine as-is, especially given that Boston has never satisfactorily replaced the bench intangibles that went to New Orleans with James Posey. Now, the closest approximation of Posey the Celtics have, Tony Allen, is out two months after having surgery on his thumb.
The only team among the contenders that did anything bold was Orlando, which filled the gaping hole at point guard (Jameer Nelson) by snatching Rafer Alston from Houston. The Magic sent a message that they feel they have enough for a serious run, and Alston significantly improves their chances of playing spoiler in the playoffs.
With the exception of Cleveland, Dallas, Portland and a few others, the rest of the league was in defensive mode at the deadline. The fear is understandable, given that a memo from the league office this week warned all 30 teams that the luxury-tax threshold for 2010-11 could be lowered to $68 million. Most teams had been projecting $72 million-$76 million. That means there were a lot more sellers than buyers in the past 72 hours.
"I won't say panic, but there is an ultimate concern that in the league, just like in the United States, disposable income and discretionary income are going to take a toll on the entertainment dollar," one team executive said.
Clevelanders would've found a way to stretch their entertainment dollars had the Big Cactus been planted on the shores of Lake Erie. But I think it would've been a horror show. LeBron only cares about one thing: winning championships. He had his fun with Shaq in the All-Star Game. If he's as smart as I think he is, LeBron appreciates the gesture but is gladly saying, "Thanks, but no thanks." He'll take his chances with Big Z and let the Big Cactus stay where he belongs.
