Jul 30, 2004 12:16 AM EST
Orlando fans will get a chance to take a look at two former Magic superstars in NBA preseason action in mid-late October.
Shaquille O'neal and the Miami Heat will play the Magic twice in Central Florida while Tracy McGrady will visit once.
The rest of the NBA's preseason and regular-season schedules will be released next week. Orlando will open up the season at home against the Bucks.
Via Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets
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Shaquille O'Neal won't mention Kobe Bryant by name. But in a recent telephone interview, it wasn't too difficult to figure out to whom the big man was referring.
O'Neal said that he didn't think Bryant ever asked management to keep the team together. And O'Neal told the media that he thinks Bryant wanted him out of LA.
"Be careful what you wish for, buddy," O'Neal said several times during the 15-minute interview.
The 32-year-old O'Neal said he may have "six dominant years" left in him, especially in the relatively weak Eastern Conference.
"The West is loaded," he said. "Denver's got Kenyon Martin and 'Melo (Carmelo Anthony). San Antonio's got "(Tim) Duncan and (Tony) Parker. Minnesota's got KG (Kevin Garnett). Sac's got (Chris) Webber and (Mike) Bibby. In the East, all they've got is the two O'Neal boys (himself and Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal)."
"We're gonna be straight," O'Neal said. "I was down here the other day working out with the kid from Vanderbilt we got (second-round pick Matt Freije), and I told him, 'I'm gonna come across the block, and if I get doubled, I'm gonna pass the ball to you and you're gonna have a wide-open jumper, or (forward) Udonis Haslem is gonna come down the lane and he's gonna get a dunk, and you're all gonna get big contracts.' He said, 'What do you mean?' I said, 'Just look at the history. Travis Knight. Horace Grant. A.C. Green.' He said, 'Shaq, you're one of the coolest guys I've met.'"
Via ESPN
Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers
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Philadelphia, PA (Reuters) - Shaquille O'Neal knows that the Miami Heat acquired him from the Los Angeles Lakers for one reason, to win championships. Merchandise and ticket sales will go through the roof, but the main reason Miami brought in O'Neal was to help get the franchise to the next level.
The 32-year-old O'Neal, who spent eight seasons with fellow All-Star Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, will now team with 22-year-old point guard Dwyane Wade, who had a sensational rookie season with the Heat, who traded forwards Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and Caron Butler along with a first-round draft pick to the Lakers for the 7-1 O'Neal, who has had experience in teaming with star guards. In his first four seasons in the NBA, O'Neal formed a dynamic duo with Anfernee Hardaway in Orlando
I told Dwyane, lets just get it going," said O'Neal at the press conference where he was introduced as a member of the Heat. "John Wooden, when I first met him, I was with Coach Del Brown, he told me, 'Shaquille, obviously you are a great player, but being great isn't about putting it between your legs, scoring 50 or 60 points. Being great is how you help your other teammates to strive. That is what being great is about.' I took that; I have always been the type of big man that keeps my guys along. Dwyane had it pretty hard last year because he was a rookie and they started seeing his game. Now it's going to open up, it's going to open up more room for him. I expect him to be the number one or number two guard in the Eastern Conference because last year he impressed me. I usually don't get impressed by a guard, but he impressed me. Not because of the dunking and all of the stuff that he did, but because he still kept his guys involved and he still did what he did."
"Yes, you will see a meaner side (of Wade)," said O'Neal. "I am not going to come in here and say to do this and do that. It is obvious that the kid can play. If he needs my advice, I will tell it to him. He has a back up on the floor, if they foul him hard, they are going to get fouled hard on the next play down. I am just going to be his big brother. I am not the type to say to do this and do that. I do not know what it takes to become a great guard, I know what it takes to become a great team player and he already has that quality. It is his team, throughout the history of the game, teams have always belonged to guards. I have never played with a special guard that is special and he is a special guard. The team is his, I am just here to do my part, which is to rebound, dominate, play good defense and win. The kid can play, the kid can play."
"I don't see anybody, in any conference that can shut me down," said O'Neal. "Any conference, anywhere in the world."
Via Reuters
Miami Heat
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Heat Jul 2004 Archive
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Palm Beach Post | Jul 28, 2004
The Miami Heat are in need for a veteran point guard and are currently considering many of the options in the saturated market.
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Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel | Jul 27, 2004
Minnesota executive Kevin McHale has gone on record stating that all indications show that Karl Malone will sign with the Miami Heat.
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NBA.com | Jul 26, 2004
July 26 -- From leading the Heat to the second round of the playoffs to joining fellow rookies Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James on the U.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jul 26, 2004
Karl Malone is reportedly leaning towards following Shaquille O'Neal to Miami.
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Associated press | Jul 25, 2004
LOS ANGELES -- The big guy had a big-hearted message for Los Angeles Lakers' fans.
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Miami Herald | Jul 25, 2004
Dorell Wright signed his contract with the Miami Heat.
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South Florida Sun-Sentinel | Jul 23, 2004
MIAMI -- Heat President Pat Riley has publicly expressed his sorrow and gratitude to the players he traded to the Los Angeles Lakers to bring superstar center Shaquille O'Neal to South Florida.
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Yahoo! | Jul 22, 2004
LA Clippers free agent Keyon Dooling is going home to back up Dwayne Wade for the Miami Heat.
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The Miami Herald | Jul 21, 2004
The Miami Heat are now looking to surround their new big man with shooters, and Robert Horry is their first priorities.
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Reuters | Jul 20, 2004
Shaquille O'Neal put his controversial departure from the Los Angeles Lakers behind him on Tuesday as he embraced his new team, the Miami Heat, and promised them a championship.
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South Florida Sun-Sentinel | Jul 20, 2004
If Karl Malone's knee is fit to return to the NBA next season, he may just follow Shaq to Miami, as he continues his 20 season quest for a ring.
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ESPN | Jul 19, 2004
Miami Heat owner Micky Arison considers the Shaquille O'Neal acquisition a no-brainer.
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South Florida Sun-Sentinel | Jul 19, 2004
Last summer Shaq convinced two future Hall of Famers to join his team and this year his move to Miami will go a long ways in swaying former teammate Robert Horry to play for the Heat.
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Ira Winderman of the Miami Sun-Sentinel | Jul 15, 2004
Shaquille O'Neal doesn't view the Miami Heat as a desperation destination away from the Los Angeles Lakers, the team he has called home for eight years.
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ESPN | Jul 14, 2004
Shaquille O'Neal finally got his wish today when the Los Angeles Lakers officially traded the superstar back to Florida as the trading and signing period officially opened in the NBA.
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ESPN | Jul 14, 2004
As the old saying goes, those who ignore history's mistakes are doomed to repeat them.
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nj.com | Jul 14, 2004
Allan Houston thinks the impending Shaq to Miami trade may threaten the Knicks chances in the Atlantic unless they get a big man.
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Jonathan Givony RealGM/DraftCity | Jul 14, 2004
The Charlotte Observer reported for Wednesday's editions that the Clippers will trade forward Melvin Ely ($1.
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New York Times | Jul 14, 2004
By 12:01 AM tomorrow morning, the Los Angeles Lakers could be without the league's most dominant big man and its most deadly perimeter threat.
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ESPN | Jul 14, 2004
There could be a hitch in the deal that would send Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat, and it's called Lamar Odom.
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South Florida Sun-Sentinel | Jul 13, 2004
By Ira Winderman
Staff Writer
Posted July 13 2004, 11:06 AM EDT
A team that a week ago had a glaring void at center now finds itself with veteran depth at the position.
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Associated Press | Jul 12, 2004
MIAMI -- In the wake of a report that Michael Jordan is interested in buying the Miami Heat, team owner Micky Arison said Monday the franchise is not for sale.
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AP | Jul 12, 2004
"With the Miami Heat on the verge of acquiring Shaquille O'Neal, the team signed coach Stan Van Gundy to a multiyear extension Monday.
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New York Times | Jul 12, 2004
All signs point to the Lakers' imminent trade of Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat.
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New York Times | Jul 12, 2004
Wealthy, famous and adorned with championship rings, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal accomplished so much together but each is foolish enough to believe it's better that they separate their basketball lives.
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ESPN | Jul 12, 2004
The Miami Heat signed coach Stan Van Gundy to a multi-year extension Monday and also extended general manager Randy Pfund.
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Associated Press | Jul 11, 2004
Shaq approves trade to Heat
Mike Branom
7:15 PM EST
Expect to see Shaquille O'Neal in a Miami Heat uniform next season.
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ESPN | Jul 11, 2004
Warm weather.
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Jonathan Givony/RealGM | Jul 10, 2004
The entire NBA world is on pins and needles this weekend as the Shaquille O'neal trade saga appears to be nearing to an end.
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Jonathan Givony/RealGM | Jul 10, 2004
David Aldridge has reported on ESPN News that Shaquille O'neal has given the Lakers the green light to go ahead and trade him to the Miami Heat for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom and Brian Grant.
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LA Times | Jul 10, 2004
"Bryant, according to one team executive, is pushing for the Lakers to acquire Wade in any deal with the Heat.
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ESPN | Jul 10, 2004
Is Shaq-to-Miami closer than we think?
Sources have told ESPN's Jim Gray on Friday night that if the Heat agree to trade Brian Grant, Lamar Odom and either Caron Butler or a No.
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RealGM Exclusive | Jul 8, 2004
RealGM and DraftCity reporter Jonathan Givony are reporting that there is serious trade talk between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers about a deal that would send center Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat for forwards Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and two future first-round picks.
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Daytona Beach News Journal | Jul 5, 2004
"There are reports the Magic will send power forward Drew Gooden and center Andrew DeClercq to the Miami Heat for Caron Butler, who had a mild sophomore slump last season in the midst of the Heat's overall improvement.
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Mercury News | Jul 4, 2004
According to published reports, eight NBA teams have made serious inquiries about acquiring restricted free-agent Jamal Crawford.
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Associated Press | Jul 1, 2004
Former NBA center Manute Bol was seriously injured in a car accident, police said.
