How a ‘Vengeful’ Michael Jordan Drove Shaquille O’Neal Out of Orlando

The Orlando Magic during the Shaq-Penny Era was something else. Spearheaded by the one-two punch of Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, the team was on course to be one of the youngest teams to win a championship. But that never happened.

Shaq reminisced about the situation in his 2001 book Shaq Talks Back. He told the readers about how Michael Jordan acted as a catalyst for the shift in his career. The Lakers legend named Jordan as one of the reasons for the young team’s breakup. Angered by the 1995 loss to the Magic, MJ and the Bulls swept them in ’96, making it hard for players like O’Neal to even move around Orlando without scrutiny.

The defeat was the final spur that led to Shaq signing with the Lakers — although money was also a factor. Shaq had made it clear on multiple occasions that money had always been a driving force for him. Growing up mostly broke, O’Neal wanted to be paid big bucks once he made it as a star in the NBA. Thus, when the Lakers came calling in ’96 with a $121 Million contract, he couldn’t refuse.

Even though the big man went on to win 3 championships with the Lakers, he was always troubled by the possibilities that never came to fruition in Orlando. Talking on the subject in his book, Diesel said:

“Michael came back to play for the Bulls, we beat them. I think he got mad. He came back the next year and swept us. That helped break the team up. After we lost to Jordan things started to get go downhill.”

O’Neal and The Magic were the last teams to defeat Michael and the Bulls in any playoff rounds. But the loss in 1996 was just too much for a young Orlando team to recover from, setting the franchise up for dark times ahead.

Magic and Shaq’s contrasting fortunes

Following Shaq’s departure from the Orlando Magic in 1996, the team experienced a noticeable void. Neither did the Magic reach a level of contention, nor did they find themselves in a position to secure significant victories in the draft lottery.

Without Shaq and Penny Hardaway, the Magic lacked the necessary assets to make impactful trades for prominent players. The period leading up to Dwight Howard’s arrival in 2004 was characterized by a revolving door of fading stars on the Magic’s roster.

However, the same narrative did not hold true for Shaq himself. The dominant big man achieved a remarkable three-peat with the Lakers. He later secured his fourth championship ring with the Heat. Despite transitioning into more minor roles with teams like the Suns and the Celtics, Shaq continued to contribute to the game throughout his extensive 19-season career.