Michael Jordan once shared his two cents on Shaquille O’Neal’s shock departure to Miami, and while at it, also added for good measure that it wasn’t Kobe Bryant’s fault that led his Los Angeles Lakers teammate to head to the East.
Speaking to Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of “Cigar Aficionado” in 2017, the Chicago Bulls legend believed that the blame could never be on one person. When asked if Bryant would read about the developments in Miami, Jordan had a simple answer:
Jordan’s thoughts stem from experience. The 90s were all about players grinding it out irrespective of roster constructions, and achieving the common objective, which was winning a championship.
Shaq’s final years with the Los Angeles Lakers were tumultuous at best. Between his beef with Bryant and the Lakers front office, the 2004 season was the last straw, and the Purple and Gold traded the big man to the Miami Heat for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and a future first-round draft choice.
The blockbuster trade also marked the end of the famed Kobe-Shaq era where the duo won three NBA championships together.
The former Lakers legend would win his final NBA title in 2006, while Kobe Bryant and the Lakers would win two more in 2009 and 2010.
Despite their beef, there was no real reason for Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal to drift other than the fact that they were players who wanted to chart their own legacies.
That they prioritized this over the team’s objective of winning more titles was unfortunate, but it was the end result after the Lakers’ loss to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals.
While Kobe Bryant did have success, it wasn’t until 2009. As for Shaq, his title with the Heat was the last of his decorated career. Perhaps had they focused on keeping their winning formula intact, there’s little doubt that the duo would have won at least a couple more titles in LA.
