Home History Corner The Lakers traded Shaq to the Heat on this date in 2004

The Lakers traded Shaq to the Heat on this date in 2004

Photo: AP/Alan Diaz

The Lakers traded Shaquille O’Neal to the Heat in a blockbuster trade. In exchange for O’Neal, Los Angles received Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Cook and a first-round pick.

The trade signaled the end of O’Neal’s run with Kobe Bryant in Los Angles. No one will ever know how many titles the two could have won together if O’Neal hadn’t been traded.

Bryant led the Lakers to two more championships, in 2009 and 2010. Odom developed into a key player for Los Angeles and averaged a double-double during both postseasons.

O’Neal spent four seasons in Miami. He was an All-Star three times, led the NBA in field goal percentage twice and helped lead the Heat to a championship in 2006. He averaged 18.4 points, 9.8 rebound and 1.5 blocks per game during in the playoffs that year.

Shaquille O'Neal - Heading to the Finals (2006 ECF Game 6, 28 points)

O’Neal didn’t spend many seasons with the Heat but they would not have won the NBA Finals in 2006 without his clutch play.

Miami retired O’Neal’s number 32 jersey in 2016.

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