Shaq to Cavs? Bad Idea

Much has been made the past week of the hot rumor going around that Shaq will be traded to the Cavs to join LeBron. Some people even argue that a Shaq/LeBron duo would greatly enhance the Cavs' ability to win an NBA title in 2010. And in the process keep King James in Ohio.

I am not one of them.

If you are a Cavs fan you better pray this rumor doesn’t have any merit. Shaq to the Cavs would destroy the team.

LeBron would only get worse (if that’s possible) if the team acquired Shaq because his gigantic, slow-moving presence would plug the middle and take away LeBron’s nearly-unstoppable drive-to-the-hole capabilities.

LeBron doesn’t need an overpriced, over-the-hill, non-defender to help him win a title. What LeBron needs is a guard or small forward that can shoot from the outside and defend taller perimeter players.

No disrespect to Delonte West or Mo Williams who are both admirable players but LeBron needs a taller perimeter athlete that can defend bigger players and also be his wingman (a la Scottie Pippen).

The Cavs flat-out could not defend the Orlando Magic’s lengthy shooting trio of Rashard Lewis, Hedo Terkoglu, and Mickael Pietrus in the Eastern Conference championship series and lost because of it.

While Shaq is entertaining and provides great pre- and post-game quotes to the media, his skills have greatly diminished and adding him would only hurt LeBron.

Note to Cavs GM Danny Ferry: If you want to keep LeBron in Cleveland beyond 2010 try adding actual talent your roster to help LeBron—not crappy players like Ben Wallace and Wally Szczerbiak. Adding players in the twilights of their careers is not the answer.

LeBron is a beast and deserves a ring but it won’t be with Shaq.