Shaq Fu!

Da Realist:

looks like you guys were right. i heard pat riley has promised to make shaq the highest paid in the game. if this is true, then it's over for miami. shaq's ego has gotten the best of him. there is no way (no matter how close he got this year) that miami is going to win with eddie jones as a third option. but since shaq won't lower his demand, miami won't be able to> afford anybody to replace eddie in the starting lineup. i seem to remember the lakers winning because of shaq, kobe and um...robert horry, derek fisher, brian shaw and rick fox. they were just as important. shaq has forgotten all of this. did you hear his "sunday conversation"? miami would have lost to san antonio in 5.

Gangsta D:

Damn it feels good that if only for a second, Da Realist has turned to the light side. If they give him the contract this summer, what motivation does he have to come to camp in shape? He'll be content instead of hungry with something to prove. This is the beginning of the end. It'll be interesting to see how he and Dwyane co-exist. I know he's the anti-Kobe and all, but that was before people started calling him the best player in the league under 6'10". I can't wait to see how that relationship comes to grip with the pressure of expectations and newfound fame...

Waldini:

What is going on here? Realist, you have agreed twice with Gangsta in one day(it's not even lunch yet) and Gangsta D you are open to TJ's comments?!?! I dont know what you ate for father's day dinner yesterday but obviously ya'll ate the same thing, lol

Da Realist:

if you remember correctly, there were a couple of times that megatron and optimus prime had to work together for the greater good. this is one of those times. but as soon as this passes, we are enemies once again prime.

Waldini:

I didn't see the Sunday conversation but I read it online yesterday. And then I read Riles' comments too. They say they are committed to winning, evident by the comment about no probs with Shaq being the highest paid player. That's fine but what happens in year 3, when he starts breaking down and they have no money to get anyone. They also said they are picking up D Jones option and will try to pay Haslem as well. Factor in D Wade getting the max next year and your starting 5 goes like this:

Haslem - 5-6 mil a yr
E Jones - max contract
O'Neal - max contract
Wade - max contract
D Jones - 5-6 mil a yr

Call me crazy but this team is built to win in the short term and unless Detroit or Indiana get weaker, I don't see Mia beating those teams at full strength in the next 2-3 years. Now I wonder if the Lakers succeed during this time span and the Heat get worse, if Sportscenter will run a "Maybe wewere wrong about Buss' decision" feature :-)