Shaquille O’Neal’s decision to leave Orlando Magic in 1996 might have been one of the most significant blows in franchise history. And partly, the team management was at fault for not being able to retain Shaq. O’Neal left for the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent after Jerry West offered him a $121 million contract. In some ways, even his competition with Penny Hardaway in the team might have been a reason for Shaq moving on with the Lakers.
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The primary reason Shaq left as a free agent was thanks to a poll by the Orlando Sentinel: “Is Shaquille O’Neal worth $115 million over seven seasons?”. When it came out, Shaq felt disrespected and furthermore, he was humiliated by the poll results, which resulted in around 91 percent of voters choosing “No.”
In the book Three-Ring Circus by Jeff Pearlman, the author mentions Charles Barkley’s reaction to this fiasco. Chuck understood the importance of being paid and the disrespect Shaq dealt with following this incident. Ahead of the 1996 Olympics, Chuck told Shaq,
“Are you f**king kidding me? You bring glory to this redneck, one-horse town, and this is what they think of you? Get out as soon as you can. F**k these people.”
Shaq’s decision to leave Orlando Magic stemmed from the poll results by a newspaper agency
The Orlando Magic had high hopes for their 1992 draftee, Shaq. Along with Penny Hardaway, O’Neal had propelled the Magic into the 1995 NBA Finals. And then Orlando Magic undervalued Shaq’s contributions to the team with their contract offerings in 1996.
Shaq’s $17.4 million rookie deal was expiring in 1996. With this, the Magic offered a $54 million contract for another four-year extension to Shaq. Considering Shaq’s immense contribution and prospects for the team, this was insulting to the legend. Compared to this, Miami Heat’s Alonzo Mourning and Washington Bullets’ Juwan Howard were offered seven-year, $105 million contracts that same off-season.
At that same time, Lakers’ Jerry West closely monitored the situation. He made an initial offer for a seven-year contract worth $95.5 million. However, Magic’s owner Rich DeVos had realized the major blow the franchise would have to face on losing Shaq. DeVos responded with a $100 million, seven-year deal, and he further upped the ante with another offer for $115 million.
The final nail in the coffin for Shaq and Magic’s relationship came with the Orlando Sentinel readers’ poll results. As soon as news about the contract spread, the Orlando Sentinel polled on July 16, 1996 – “Is Shaquille O’Neal worth $115 million over seven seasons?”
Over 91 percent of the voters of the poll had voted ‘No’ to the question. This had a significant impact on Shaq’s morale, which Jeff Pearlman has also mentioned in his book. Over the years, Shaq discussed this incident and said,
“It stung a lot. A lot. I wouldn’t say it hurt me, but I don’t like being underappreciated.”
Jerry West swept Shaquille O’Neal as a free agent and was called one of the greatest signings in NBA history
Nevertheless, Shaq moved on from the Orlando Magic and joined the Lakers in 1996. Jerry West closely monitoring this situation was indeed strategic for being able to sign Shaq on a $121 million deal.
West was making a once-in-a-generation team for the Lakers, and the tandem of Kobe and Shaq is well-documented in the league’s history. Shaq stayed with the Lakers through his seven-year contract, winning a three-peat from 2000 to 2002.
He eventually moved on from the Lakers in 2004. Major stints with Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, and Cleveland Cavaliers followed, before ultimately retiring with the Boston Celtics in 2011.
