Shaquille O’Neal selected Boston Celtics over Atlanta Hawks for better title shot
Apparently Shaquille O’Neal wants to end his career with five championship rings on his fingers. The veteran centre signed with the Boston Celtics instead of inking a deal with the Atlanta
Hawks because he felt that the Celtics have a better chance of winning the title this season.
O’Neal, who opted to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers during the off-season after LeBron James signed with the Miami Heat, was on his way to signing a contract with the Hawks last summer, but
a sudden change of heart brought him to Boston.
“These guys are one step away,” O’Neal said referring to the Hawks before their game against Atlanta on Monday 22 November. “But I love this town. I've had a home in Buckhead for 15 years.”
O’Neal also added that Atlanta were reluctant to offer him more than the veteran’s minimum salary, which could have given the Hawks an edge since the Celtics also offered the same contract
terms to the 38-year-old centre.
Hawks head coach Larry Drew, on the other hand, said that they were thinking that O’Neal will not accept a back-up role behind their starting centre Al Horford and that is the main reason
why they did not pursue the former LSU standout anymore, although he admitted that they were close to signing the four-time NBA champion.
“If we brought him in here, it would be a little tougher,” said Drew. “The Celtics have a blend of veteran players with the core of their team, and it's a lot easier to fit in a vet like
Shaq. I do not think his personality would have fit with our guys. It makes more sense to have veteran guys around him.”
The 18-year veteran centre, O’Neal, is averaging 10.4 points and 6.3 rebounds for the Celtics this season, and head coach Doc Rivers said that he is glad that the future Hall of Famer accepted
his role with the team positively.
“We have good veterans,” Rivers said. “We are going to do it our way, nobody else's way, no matter who comes in the locker room. None of that individual stuff will be tolerated.”
The Celtics crushed the Atlanta Hawks, 99-76, on Monday 22 November, and they will try to make it two-straight when they go up against the New Jersey Nets on the road on Wednesday 24 November.
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