Is Shaq a possible replacement for Sheed?

Jun 27, 2010, 8:42 AM EDT

The Celtics are about to enter a very uncomfortable time in the life of a franchise. Their best produced roster, with four Hall of Famers (at least), a stunning young point guard, and a range of versatile bigs failed to win a championship. Ray Allen is a free agent. Paul Pierce will opt out. And Rasheed Wallace is retiring, leaving a gap down low. So now they have to make the decision. Do they commit to a rebuilding effort? Or do they attempt to assemble one more ride into glory?

The answer is simple. If you have the ability to ask that question, if the dread veil of rebuilding has not been shoved over your head, you take the last shot with the old crew. That’s what you do, because these windows realistically don’t come around very often.

And if making another crack at it means free agent bigs, the Boston Herald has a handful of suggestions that make sense. Brad Miller is one. Miller could work out of the high post, stretch the floor like Rasheed Wallace did, and can handle the ball from the pinch post to the Celtics’ cutters and slashers.

But perhaps the most intriguing option is yet another of the most dominant big men the game has ever seen, though those days are far behind him. Shaquille O’Neal. A Celtic. Think about it.

Shaq has suffered on younger, more athletic squads in Phoenix and Cleveland. He is always saying he wants to find a team that’s tough like the ones he used to be on (because, really, what says tough like Rick Fox and Mark Madsen). O’Neal can still contribute. He had some fine games in Cleveland. But in Boston, he would be a beast. He could mentor Glen Davis, and putting him low with Kevin Garnett pretty much assures no one is scoring at the rim, and if they do, they’re going to remember it in the morning.

O’Neal wouldn’t be exposed in the Celtics’ offense. They routinely feed Kenrick Perkins in the post, despite him not being a great post player. He would feel among his peers, and be given the respect he feels he deserves, without being so starkly in the shadow of one current great as he was with LeBron.

And after all, if you can’t beat ‘em, why not join ‘em?

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12 Comments (Feed for Comments)

phil collins - Jun 27, 2010 at 10:00 AM

when did it become a given that pierce would opt out?

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banner18 - Jun 27, 2010 at 11:25 AM

I doubt Pierce is walking away from $21 million that he won’t get on the open market.

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timfromvt - Jun 27, 2010 at 11:26 AM

Nooo….nooooo….please tell me it’s not possible

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givetheballtopaul - Jun 27, 2010 at 12:23 PM

How great would it be Pierce opted out and signed a long term deal for about half of what he’s due to make next year? This way he could retire a Celtic and it would make more room to sign Ray and whoever else they need to compete again next year…and maybe beyond..

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lakerfan - Jun 27, 2010 at 2:25 PM

Shaq? We had him and now you can have him. He’s washed up and will never win another championship. Furthermore, the Celtics will never beat LA again. This is our time!

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BullsFan - Jun 27, 2010 at 3:53 PM

To be honest, I really do not think Paul Pierce is leaving. Rasheed had a wonderful career, but Shaq is not the answer, he really needs to retire with Rasheed. All I can say is whatever team gets Ray Allen is the luckiest. Oh, and by the way I am a Bulls fan,so we just want Lebron.

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Adam - Jun 27, 2010 at 4:22 PM

Four HOFs at least?? So that means you consider Rasheed Wallace a lock for the hall…I suppose he may eventually get there but he’s no first ballot gimme

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Andrew Bartolomei - Jun 27, 2010 at 6:06 PM

Shaq slows down the ball. Boston has beautiful ball handling and it is quick with Rondo. You put Shaq on that team and he slows it down and they become the Cavaliers of 2010, which then means a quicker team will beat Boston. Who wrote this article? Shaq’s publicist?

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MIke - Jun 27, 2010 at 6:31 PM

Wow! How about Greg Kite or Bill Walton instead. I wish Shag would retire also.

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da real - Jun 27, 2010 at 7:24 PM

As a Boston Celtic hater, I hope this happens! There done anyway, so why not completely lose sanity.

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Randall - Jun 28, 2010 at 1:21 AM

“Is Shaq a possible replacement for Sheed?”
I’d say a potted plant could replace Rasheed, and w/ significantly fewer techs. If said plant can also wax philosophic, it’s a better choice than Shaq.

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bob - Jun 29, 2010 at 3:08 PM

why not put a brick wall on the court instead or let brain Scalabrine gain 50 pounds, they would be better off

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