Quote:
Originally Posted by JudasRising20
I know he didn't win the title with Penny. I'm just saying even without Penny the Magic could (and did) make the playoffs. The Rockets without Hakeem would be left without a superstar for most of his prime.
We saw Hakeem carry a team. I don't remember Shaq carrying a team for an extended time. Thus, if I'm starting from scratch, I'm picking Hakeem over Shaq. If I have a Kobe or Wade, I'd rather have Shaq as my big man for a better complimentary piece with those guards' outside game.
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I think you're glossing over a bit there.
The Magic went from 60 wins w/ Shaq to 45 without him, and that's after replacing him with Ronnie Seikaly who was a pretty good player in his own right and put up 17/10 that year on better than 50% shooting.
When a team replaces you with a guy who puts up fringe All-Star numbers and they get 25% worse anyway, I'd say that speaks pretty loudly to your impact on that team. How about when a team wins 56 games with you, trades you for two players who both average 15 PPG in your place and then proceeds to win only 34 games the following season, as was the case w/ the '04-'05 Lakers?
The Kobe you're remembering just wasn't the Kobe that existed for that Lakers championship run with Shaq. Shaq made that team work. Kobe evolved a TON before he became the guy who later led teams to championships as the top guy.