“Dr. Buss is sitting courtside as Shaq kind of struts along the sideline, and looks directly at Dr. Buss and says ‘you better pay me’” - Brian Shaw on Shaquille O’Neal offending Dr. Jerry Buss over his Lakers future
Shaquille O’Neal’s departure from the Los Angeles Lakers felt abrupt, but it was something that had been boiling over behind the scenes. Brian Shaw, who played with O’Neal on the Lakers and Orlando Magic, gave another angle to O’Neal’s exit from the City of Angels.
The conflict between O’Neal and a young Kobe Bryant that had been bubbling over for years led to the eventual move. The Lakers ended up paying Bryant, who was younger, and traded O’Neal off to the Miami Heat.
On the “Icons Club” podcast presented by The Ringer, Shaw talked about a moment between O’Neal and Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss that could have been the turning point on Buss picking Bryant. Shaw says 43:40 minutes into the podcast:
“We played the Warriors two games in Hawaii because we are training camp in Hawaii that year, and within the first few plays of the game, Shaq dunks on Eric Dan Pierre, who was a center for Warriors at that time. And Dr. Buss is sitting courtside as Shaq kind of struts along the sideline and looks directly at Dr. Buss and says, ‘You better pay me.' And Dr. Buss really really took that personally. I don't think that, at the time, Shaq knew how Dr. Buss felt, you know, like that he was showing them up.”
Shaq and Kobe were arguably the best one-two punch ever—two of the NBA’s most compelling players and the ultimate contrast in styles.
This is #IconsClub with Jackie MacMullan: open.spotify.com/episode/2lWmaE…
O’Neal, throughout his career, has always been a showman and never afraid to talk trash to anyone. He was always competitive, and it came out in his game, beginning one of the most dominant forces in NBA history. He wanted to be paid as such and paid to the top dollar that his talent deserved.
Shaquille O’Neal’s time after being traded from the Lakers
Shaquille O’Neal would be traded to the Heat and would be 32 years old in his first season with the team. He would immediately make the Lakers regret trading him. He won the NBA Finals with Dwayne Wade in his first season with the Heat.
Christmas Day, 2004: @SHAQ makes his grand return to L.A. with the Heat
HIGHLIGHTS » on.nba.com/1CMiaYi http://t.co/jTwEe6oT4z
He would average 22.9 points with 10.4 rebounds in that NBA Championship season, which would be his final 20 point and 10 rebound seasons. He would take a step back in the playoffs, with his stats dropping to 18.4 points and 9.8 rebounds.
In his final two and half-season with the Heat, the cracks of his career would begin to show, and he would be traded to the Phoenix Suns, where he would have one more good season. In his first entire season with the Suns, he averaged 17.8 points with 8.4 rebounds, making his final All-Star game.
Shaquille O’Neal would close out his Hall-of-Fame career with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics, averaging just 22.1 minutes per game and playing in just 90 games.