Parker declared claimed Shaq pushed him to sign a fresh agreement with the Miami Heat after their trade.
Renowned for his time spent with the Los Angeles Lakers and then the Miami Heat, Smush Parker recently shared an amazing tale about how Shaquille O’Neal was crucial in getting him a deal with the Heat.
He inquired about my next gig, to which I replied, ‘I’m a free agent, still hopping around.'” And he picks up the phone. To cut a long tale short, my agent was guaranteed a two-year contract with the Miami Heat the following day.
Parker claims that the unanticipated course of events started when he happened to run into Shaq at the 40/40 club in New York. Due to their common experience of playing with Kobe Bryant, the two former Lakers became close, and their conversation produced an unforeseen chance.
Parker clarified that he made a phone call in response to Shaq’s question about his future plans, which enabled Parker’s agent to negotiate a two-year deal with the Miami Heat. For Parker, this was a huge turning point in his six-year NBA career—his first contract that came with guarantees.
While watching a Roy Jones fight in the club’s VIP room, Parker and O’Neal were caught up in nostalgia for their Lakers days. Both players had a history of on-court conflicts with Bryant; Shaq’s difficult relationship with “The Black Mamba” was the primary factor in his decision to join the Miami Heat. On the other hand, Parker and Bryant had a public falling out because they never spoke to each other while they were on the Lakers.
Although Pat Riley is usually the Heat’s decision-maker, the timing of Shaq’s call and Parker’s subsequent contract may be questioned, but the story offers an interesting perspective on the relationships between NBA players. Parker demonstrated how a seasoned guard could give depth to the team during his brief stay with the Heat in the 2007–08 campaign.
