Shaq would rather play with Kobe than James

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

I think those Laker teams were stacked, especially in the 80's. Same with the Bulls in the 90's. It seems like whatever team Lebron goes to injuries happen, bad luck. Or like early in his career he had no help.

I think Shaq just used a bad choice of words, that's all

Yeah...I just didn't see it as controversial either way.

People have different opinions.

Just the other day Bill Lambieer said Lebron > Jordan and folks about pee'd their pants.

Sometimes you gotta take the messenger into consideration.

As much as Shaq despised Kobe, if he says he'd rather play with Mamba...I believe him.

He's entitled.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Yeah...I just didn't see it as controversial either way.

People have different opinions.

Just the other day Bill Lambieer said Lebron > Jordan and folks about pee'd their pants.

Sometimes you gotta take the messenger into consideration.

As much as Shaq despised Kobe, if he says he'd rather play with Mamba...I believe him.

He's entitled.

Yeah, then you have Scottie say Bron was better and he played with MJ. Everyone will have their opinions

 

[tducey]

Bit of a surprise here, didn't think Shaq liked playing with Kobe.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Bit of a surprise here, didn't think Shaq liked playing with Kobe.

Why not? He won three titles with Kobe and one without. Common sense should prevail that should tell him changing Kobe for any other player might have resulted in none

 

[purguy12]

100% agree with Shaq.

 

[trojanfan12]

Bit of a surprise here, didn't think Shaq liked playing with Kobe.

Shaq has always said that him leaving had nothing to do with Kobe and everything to do with money.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Shaq has always said that him leaving had nothing to do with Kobe and everything to do with money.

He can say that all he wants too, but part of it was that the Lakers let Phil Jackson go because he wanted to much money, but Shaq wanted 25 million and Buss thought it was too much considering that Shaq was declining and the minute the Lakers announced that they was going to attempt to resign Kobe and had cut Jackson loose, he was in their office with his agents demanding to be traded.

 

[trojanfan12]

He can say that all he wants too, but part of it was that the Lakers let Phil Jackson go because he wanted to much money, but Shaq wanted 25 million and Buss thought it was too much considering that Shaq was declining and the minute the Lakers announced that they was going to attempt to resign Kobe and had cut Jackson loose, he was in their office with his agents demanding to be traded.

In other words. Shaq left because of money. Just like he said.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

In other words. Shaq left because of money. Just like he said.

Not completely because I distinctly remember that he told them if Phil Jackson did not return as head coach he would want out. He wanted the money for sure, but there was no way in hell was going to stay with Phil Jackson gone and Kobe staying and Kobe staying was part of if in my opinion. In short there were three issues

1. Phil Jackson - Gone
2. Kobe Bryant - Not Gone
3. More Money - Not happening

 

[trojanfan12]

Not completely because I distinctly remember that he told them if Phil Jackson did not return as head coach he would want out. He wanted the money for sure, but there was no way in hell was going to stay with Phil Jackson gone and Kobe staying and Kobe staying was part of if in my opinion. In short there were three issues

1. Phil Jackson - Gone
2. Kobe Bryant - Not Gone
3. More Money - Not happening

Shaq has said he left because of money. The last straw for Dr. Buss was when Shaq dunked in a pre-season game and screamed "You gonna pay me now" at him.

You can have your opinion all you want, but unless you're Shaq, it doesn't mean shit.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Why not? He won three titles with Kobe and one without. Common sense should prevail that should tell him changing Kobe for any other player might have resulted in none

well especially because when Shaq and Kobe played together- Kobe was Robin and Shaq was batman- its why Shaq easily ran away with those 3 Finals MVP's. When Shaq played with LeBron you could barely fit a few sheets of paper under Shaqs feet when he "jumped".

 

[WiggyRuss]

Yeah, then you have Scottie say Bron was better and he played with MJ. Everyone will have their opinions

its all about agendas for these guys when you ask them questions like that. Barkley says that the best player he ever played against was Kevin McHale- says it all the time. These guys are almost too close to it to have perspective in a lot of cases it seems.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Shaq has said he left because of money. The last straw for Dr. Buss was when Shaq dunked in a pre-season game and screamed "You gonna pay me now" at him.

You can have your opinion all you want, but unless you're Shaq, it doesn't mean shit.

Actually what Shaq doesn't mean shit to me either to be honest. At the time I wasn't surprised at his wanting to to be traded considering how they addressed his concerns in public. It appears to me that he has re-written history several times now which most people will also do. It is a shame that they couldn't have worked out their differences and stayed together though. I think Buss would have gladly given Shaq the extra money if Shaq hadn't declined so much.

 

[trojanfan12]

Actually what Shaq doesn't mean shit to me either to be honest. At the time I wasn't surprised at his wanting to to be traded considering how they addressed his concerns in public. It appears to me that he has re-written history several times now which most people will also do. It is a shame that they couldn't have worked out their differences and stayed together though. I think Buss would have gladly given Shaq the extra money if Shaq hadn't declined so much.

Only one person is re-writing history and it isn't Shaq.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Only one person is re-writing history and it isn't Shaq.

LOL - Right, I remember when he marched in to Kupchak's office with his agents and demanded to be traded. Then told everyone at his funeral that Buss traded him instead of keeping him. If that wasn't a re-write - I sure don't know what to call it. In another time he claimed that all of the negative things he said about the Lakers and Kobe was strictly for marketing purposes only. I will say this though - He is a natural born comedian. I really don't blame him for asking for a trade though. Without Phil Jackson there is no way that team would win championships and Mitch had spoken through the news media what the Lakers intention was and said point blank that Shaq could ask for a trade if he didn't like it. He didn't and he did ask for the trade. I still think it would have been nice to have kept Phil Jackson and Shaq with Kobe though

 

[trojanfan12]

LOL - Right, I remember when he marched in to Kupchak's office with his agents and demanded to be traded. Then told everyone at his funeral that Buss traded him instead of keeping him. If that wasn't a re-write - I sure don't know what to call it. In another time he claimed that all of the negative things he said about the Lakers and Kobe was strictly for marketing purposes only. I will say this though - He is a natural born comedian. I really don't blame him for asking for a trade though. Without Phil Jackson there is no way that team would win championships and Mitch had spoken through the news media what the Lakers intention was and said point blank that Shaq could ask for a trade if he didn't like it. He didn't and he did ask for the trade. I still think it would have been nice to have kept Phil Jackson and Shaq with Kobe though

He demanded to be traded because of money. Dr. Buss wasn't going to trade him until he pulled the "You gonna pay me now" stunt.

Give it up. You're wrong. Even the posts you made trying to say it wasn't about money, boiled down to money.

Funny how you think you know better than Shaq why left.

 

[Ilovemesomeme]

Who exactly did he rely on the last 5 yrs? Excluding the 2011 finals vs Dallas, Lebron was always hands down the best player on his teams in the Conference finals and NBA finals

Bosh, Wade, Ray Allen, Battier, Mike Miller, I can think of huge moments each of these guys had in both their Finals victories. And Wade was the best player in the Dallas series that Miami lost in 2011.

 

[Ilovemesomeme]

tell Shaq that. He clearly forgot that he and Kobe had role players save their ass from time to time also. His comments make it seem as if Kobe never had gotten help from a role player.

As someone said, he's talking about the style of play, Lebron, often times, prefers to defer and get teammates involved, as did Magic. Kobe wants to take the shot, even if a teammate may have a better one. They have a different mentality and I think that's what Shaq is alluding to in his comment.

 

[Hambombs]

This is an irrelevant topic

 

[True Lakers Fan]

He demanded to be traded because of money. Dr. Buss wasn't going to trade him until he pulled the "You gonna pay me now" stunt.

Give it up. You're wrong. Even the posts you made trying to say it wasn't about money, boiled down to money.

Funny how you think you know better than Shaq why left.

The truth is I remember what I heard and I don't believe you or Shaq. I think Shaq is a liar and talking crap like he has done in the past. Either way though the Lakers were smart to not give him 25 million(5 million more), He went over to Miami and gave them two good years and brought them a championship at 20 million which was 5 less than he wanted from the Lakers and quite frankly I think Shaq was over paid. In the final few years he earned way more than he deserved. So while the Lakers have been screwed out of money by over paid players more than a few times, Shaq wasn't one of them. Leaving Los Angeles though was Shaq's idea - not Buss' idea as presented by Shaq at the memorial service for the Late Jerry Buss and that's what I was alluding to when I said Shaq was re-writing history. If you think I'm wrong - that's your choice, but either way there are always going to reasons besides the money.