I’ve been rooting for Shaq to go to Cleveland since the rumors began. It does nothing to change the matchup problems the Cavaliers have with the Magic. It beats the Cavs getting a young stud to pair with LeBron.

So whos stopping Lewis and Turk? LBJ can take 1 sure, but then he is too tired 1 game in after only 8 games before the series. Shaq can deftly mess with Dwight, and even get in his head worst case scenario, but I dont see it with both getting 1 more year of experience, and how Orlando beat Boston with Dwight relatively contained offensively.

Lakers get Gasol, Boston get Garnett and Allen (they gave up Al Jefferson but upgraded for win-now purposes with KG), Spurs get Jefferson for the 90-year old Bruce Bowen, Tim Thomas and Oberto.

We have to give up 3 players plus a first for Alston.

Since we made that Finals run, I expect to get Chris Bosh for Battie and a Jeremy Richardson bobble-head (which would probably contribute more than the actual J-RIch)

I’m totally ambivalent about this move. From a defensive standpoint I don’t think it really helped Cleveland at all against us. A Dwight + Jameer pick and roll would eat any lineup with Shaq in it alive. Shaq is absolutely terrible against the pick and roll, and with Dwight diving to the rim, Jameer’s ridiculous midrange accuracy and his quickness, I don’t see how we could not get a high percentage shot every time down with that play. Of course, it would have helped this year, as I don’t think a Hedo+Dwight or Rafer+Dwight pick and roll would be quite as good at taking advantage of his defensive shortcomings.

Offensively it does help them a good bit. I don’t think it helped them nearly enough to overcome a healthy roster on our side, but then that’s a question that will be answered on the courts.

It’s a similar story against the rest of the league, but then Cleveland didn’t need much help beating teams other than the Magic, Celts, and Lakers.

If nothing else, it will be interesting to watch them next season, to see how Shaq fits into that team. His ego is definitely going to have to take a back seat to LeBron!

My coworkers brought this up in convo this morning..

He was already under scrutiny for how he was severely outcoached during the the ECF, now he has The Big Ego on his team, who will probably complain about not seeing the ball enough in Brown’s grind-it-out offense. Should make for a temultuous year in Cleveland, especially with it being Bron’s last year under contract.