Agent: Magic blew shot at keeping Shaq in '96
Shaquille O'Neal's 1996 free agent defection from the Orlando Magic to the Los Angeles Lakers shifted the balance of power in the NBA, and left a long-term mark on the history of the league. And according to one of his representatives at the time, it wasn't supposed to happen.
The Magic began negotiations with a low-ball offer for their franchise player, Joel Corry said in an account for CBS Sports. It's worth noting that there were no max contracts in the NBA in 1996, and with Bird Rights, the Magic could essentially offer their own players like O'Neal a blank check.
"It's a low offer, but not the first time two sides have been far apart in initial negotiations," Corry writes. "The more baffling part of the (phone) call, and I'll never forget this, was that the Magic, I guess in an attempt to create some kind of leverage, actually criticized O'Neal's rebounding and defense."
For the record, Shaq averaged close to 13 rebounds and three blocks per game in his first four seasons in the NBA from 1992-96.
O'Neal apparently entered the free agency period expecting to re-sign in Orlando. However as the Magic's negotiation strategy stayed rigid, the Lakers entered the fray, according to Corry:
In a cost-cutting move to free up cap room, the Lakers sent veteran center and fan favorite Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets that not only netted them 18-year-old Kobe Bryant, but also the $3.3 million of extra cap space his rookie deal afforded them. In hindsight, this has to be one of the biggest steals in NBA history. The Lakers had actually saved money by trading for a guy who will probably go down as one of the 10 best players in history.
Corry adds that O'Neal's lead agent Leonard Armato also attempted to facilitate possible deals with the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, and the Atlanta Hawks, but they didn't go anywhere.
Ultimately, Corry said Shaq chose the Lakers in part because of an Orlando Sentinel newspaper poll that showed over 90 percent of respondents didn't believe he was worth the money the Magic were offering.
O'Neal signed with the Lakers for $120 million over seven years, and while it took four seasons for Shaq and Kobe to capture their first NBA title together, they won two more and became the league's gold standard for half a decade.
Then-Lakers general manager Jerry West has long been credited as well for landing O'Neal and cementing the dynasty - the same Jerry West that reportedly helped convince Kevin Durant to join the Golden State Warriors this month.