Shaquille O’Neal‘s departure from the LA Lakers in 2004 was marred by a swirl of controversy — an explosive mix of ego, age, and front-office priorities. Shaq, 32 at the time, demanded a lucrative contract extension that matched his championship pedigree. But the Lakers, wary of his aging body, were more eager to build around Kobe Bryant. So they let him go.
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That summer, the Lakers traded Shaq to the Miami Heat. He signed a five-year, $100 million deal. Shaq then joined forces with Dwyane Wade to bring Miami its first NBA title in 2006.
Shaq’s career trajectory, however, could have been drastically different. According to the Hall of Famer, a Manhattan detour almost happened.
On The Big Podcast with Shaq, O’Neal revealed: “The Knicks was a contender, but I turned around because I like driving, and you can’t drive in New York [City].”
Shaq’s reason for not opting for the Knicks may sound hilarious on the surface. But it reflects his lifestyle preference, and the Big Fella is pretty serious about such matters.
O’Neal also spent parts of his childhood in New Jersey, where driving is part and parcel of daily life. Unlike the congested chaos of New York City streets, New Jersey offered a lot more breathing room for cars — and, more importantly for Shaq, his trucks.
“I got two big trucks that’ll get tore off in New York,” added O’Neal. “You can’t park them [anywhere].”
Had the move happened, Shaq may not have had the championship-winning impact he had in Miami. It’s tough to construct a clear picture of how the Knicks roster would have been due to how the salary cap mechanics operated in that era. But the 2004-2005 Knicks were not contenders in any way, shape, or form.
They limped to a 33-49 record, landed 5th in the Atlantic Division (back when divisions meant something), and missed the playoffs entirely, placing 12th in the Eastern Conference. The Play-In Tournament did not exist at the time.
That said, their roster wasn’t without several notable names. Stephon Marbury and Allan Houston carried the scoring load. Anfernee Hardaway, Shaq’s former Orlando co-star, was still around — albeit a shell of his prime due to injuries. Vin Baker was also on the team, long removed from his All-Star days.
Had O’Neal chosen the Knicks instead of the Heat, it’s hard to imagine him lifting that group into contention. And given how fragile the team’s chemistry was, adding one of the most dominant big men in history may have caused more shake-up than structure.
Instead, O’Neal went to Miami, where traffic may still be a nightmare, but where he could cruise Ocean Drive in his oversized rides, contribute to a title run, and cement another chapter in his storied legacy. For the New York Knicks, it was another case of what could have been.
