Cavaliers Signing Shaquille O'Neal Another Bad Decision

In an attempt to win an NBA Championship before Lebron James, more than likely ,
leaves the team, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Shaquille O'Neal from the
Phoenix Suns.

Though still a productive player, O'Neal is not what the Cavaliers need.

In one and a half years with the Suns, O'Neal averaged 15 points and 9 rebounds
per game which is very respectable for a 37 year old, 17 year veteran of the NBA
but lean, mean speed and power is what the Cavaliers should be trying to get.

Part of Shaquille's problem in Phoenix was that he slowed the team down in
setting up their offense and in the transition game. Although agile for his size (7'1, 325)
O'Neal does not get up and down the court like he used to. He gets tired quickly
and needs to be substituted for routinely.

The Cavaliers already had a big, slow center in Zydrunas Illgaskus which was
exploited in this past season's Eastern Conference Finals by an Orlando Magic
team which had a smaller, quicker and much more agile Dwight Howard.
The Cavaliers supposedly got O'Neal to contend with Howard. How well that will
go remains to be seen.

Unfortunately, O'Neal is a dinosaur in an age of new reptiles. The NBA is now a
league of seven-footers who can shoot 3-point shots, lead the fast break and run
the offense if necessary.

The days of the big, lumbering lowpost player are gone.

Lebron James needs help, there is no doubt about that but he needs the right
kind of help. What he truly needs is is another legitimate offensive player to
take pressure off of him in the half-court offense.

In game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Orlando, it was clear that
James was worn out from having to do so much in Cleveland's offense. He had
nothing left in the tank. As he saw the game and a chance at an NBA title
slipping away there was nothing he could do about it.

Lebron was frustrated and understandably so. He had done all that he could but still
came up short.

The Cleveland Cavaliers need to speed up not slow down and slow down is exactly
what they're going to do with O'Neal.

I agree with TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley (did I say that out loud?). The
Cavaliers play better when they play up-tempo basketball.James is virtually, unstoppable
in the open court and is not able to be trapped by a double- team like he is when
Cleveland runs a slower half-court offensive set.

A good quality power forward and at least one perimeter player who can
consistently knock down outside shots will open up the middle for James and take
some offensive pressure off of him at the same time.

Shaquille O'Neal is still a good player by any standard, who can give a team
quality production on a limited basis but he is part of a dying breed of
basketball player who simply cannot keep up with the pace of today's game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers got their ups and downs confused. Instead of upsizing and slowing
down they need to downsizing and speeding up.

nba.com