[BCWWF]

Originally Posted by PureHatred BTW that "young talented Miami Heat team" you talked about that Shaq stepped into: 2003-04 Roster Malik Allen Rafer Alston Jerome Beasley Caron Butler Rasual butler Bimbo Coles Brian Grant Udonis Haslem Eddie Jones Lamar Odom Dwayne Wade Samaki Walker John Wallace Loren Woods Wang Zhi-zhi Here's this year's roster: Shandon Anderson Rasual Butler Michael Doleac Keyon Dooling Udonis Haslem Damon Jones Eddie Jones Christian Laettner Alonzo Mourning Shaquille O'Neal Steve Smith Dwyane Wade Wang Zhizhi Qyntel Woods Dorell Wright That is nowhere near the team from last year.

Are you a genius or what? Its a completely different team because they traded three key players to get Shaq!

The Heat traded the core of their team from last year. There are five guys on the team form last year.

And look who they are...Dwayne Wade, Eddie Jones, Udonis Haslem, Bimbo Coles (I had to say his name)

Their three most important players (Technically Odom was more important last year, but meh)

And if you think that its a coincedence that Haslem and Wade stepped up their game with Shaq in Miami, you know nothing about basketball. he makes their life easier. Actualy, looking at that roster, the Heat kept Wade, kept Jones ( a10 year vet, BTW, not 'young' by any means), added Shaq and then filled in their roster with role players and journey men. Yet, somehow, they're going into the playoffs as the favorites to come out of the East.

1. I specifically referred to Eddie Jones as an established veteran.

2. I specifically stated many times that Shaq made the Heat a better team this year

3. The Heat were one of the top teams in the East last season with Haslem, Wade, Odom, and Butler all being pretty young.

Only you and maybe Jerry Buss aren't seeing the connection at this point.

Again, I don't know where you got completely off the point. I forgot that this thread was about how good of a trade the Lakers made and how overrated Shaq was