Is A Shaq/Kobe Reunion in The Future For The Lakers?

Shaquille O'Neal has always said colorful, sometimes controversial statements. Most of the times he kids around, but usually what he says contains half-truth's even if it is a joke. The last year has seen Shaq several times drop hints that he would be interested in coming back to the Lakers as a free-agent after his current contract is up, which is at the end of this upcoming season. A Laker-Shaq reunion may not be so far-fetched for both parties, it could just end up being more than Shaq-talk and possibly become reality.

Last November Shaq first mentioned a possible Laker return, saying that he didn't have a problem with Kobe Bryant "I swear to God we never had a problem". He has also said he would be OK with backing up young Andrew Bynum and helping tutor him. This past February at the All-Star break Phil Jackson was asked about a possible Shaq/Laker reunion and said he wasn't adverse to such a reunion happening, "We know that there's always a chance you'll have an opportunity to have a player like that... we always say these old crocodiles, these alligators that patrol the lanes, have a long life span. So it would be great to see (O'Neal) back someday and, you know, coaching him."

During the last All-Star game we were all reminding of the dominating duo that Kobe and Shaq made. Not only did it seem like most of the friction between the two has melted away with them seen hugging and teasing each other when meeting up at practice, but on the court the two sparkled and led to co-MVP honors for the pair. Bill Plaschke of the L.A. Times wrote an article after the All-Star game in which he asked a number of people within the Laker organization, players included, about a possible Shaq return to the Lakers, surprisingly he didn't get a single dissenting voice about it.

Most recently, after Kobe was named by Sporting News 'Player Of The Decade' on September 24th, Shaq had this to say about his former teammate "The thing about Kobe is that, over the course of my career, I have never played with anyone who was as fierce as he is. By fierce I mean just having that extra killer instinct that you know when the game is on the line he is not going to shy away from the big shot, he is not going to make excuses. If we would go into the fourth quarter, playoffs or just some game in the season and we were within a little bit of the other team, Kobe was not going to shy away from the challenge of getting the win. He was going to take the shots."

Shaq has shown that he is still thinking about a possible L.A. return in purple and gold. When promoting his new reality show "Shaq vs." he said that he would be interested in exploring whether returning to the Lakers is an option for him after he plays out the final year of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Could this be a realistic option for both Shaq and the Lakers? Here are a bakers-dozen possible reasons why this may actually become a reality.

1) Kobe has already won his 'post-Shaq' title - silencing his critics that used to say "Kobe never won a title without Shaq." The all-star game showed that not only can the two co-exist, but actually compliment each other with a willingness to share the spotlight. The new, more mature Kobe that has emerged as a leader on-and-off the court has shown he is willing to share any spotlight shone the Lakers way if it means winning. The past three seasons has shown a commitment from Kobe to sacrifice individual numbers in order to help the team win, this is something he had not done while Shaq was on the team. Perhaps, Kobe's experience after Shaq was traded and the Lakers missed the playoffs was all that Kobe needed to see that individual stats are not that important as team wins, Kobe has definitely learned that lesson and this past seasons Laker championship shows it.

2) Phil Jackson would welcome Shaq back, as evidenced by the quote above. Coach Jackson has always liked veteran players to come in and contribute, Shaq could act like this teams Steve Kerr, John Salley, Ron Harper or Brian Shaw.

3) Shaq is seemingly willing to come to the Lakers at a veteran minimum salary. Shaq has made about a quarter of a billion dollars in salary and endorsements over his career, so it is quite likely he is not looking at Jerry Buss to pay him this time around. Shaq learned his lesson from back in his first '04 preseason game in Hawaii he turned to run upcourt, shouted at Jerry Buss who was sitting courtside "now you going to pay me?" after a made basket and ended up getting traded at the end of that season because of his hardball max-contract-or-nothing stance he gave the Lakers management. Jerry Buss never forgets, however he does forgive (as shown in the recent Lamar Odom negotiations). There is no doubt that if Shaq is even near the quality of player he showed he was the past season in Phoenix that he is worth a contract that could pay him in the $2-million range.

4) Shaq is better than DJ Mbenga. That is a clear choice, that is the roster place that Shaq would take up.

5) Shaq already knows the triangle, no learning curve there.

6) Shaq's close buddy Brian Shaw is possibly in-line to become the new Laker head coach once Phil Jackson retires now that Kurt Rambis has left the organization to coach the Timberwolves.

7) Shaq still loves Los Angeles, he spends a good portion of his off-seasons in L.A.

8) Shaq could help mentor young Andrew Bynum, who would then be getting experience and savvy from two of the best centers in NBA history in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaq.

9) This would be an NBA/Laker marketing dream. Yes, this would be just about as big as a Beatles reunion, I'm sure that every sports fan will be very curious to see this happen, Laker ratings would go even higher than the top-rated NBA team level they are at now.

10) Shaq would have a very strong chance to win another ring, or two, and move into very elite NBA company. He would also get a chance to enhance his already sure-fire NBA Hall Of Fame numbers.

11) Shaq would leave the Lakers - the team he will forever be most associated with - under good terms. His retirement after a season or two would let his last jersey he wore be a purple and gold one.

12) Shaq would have a chance to impress those Laker fan film moguls and TV shakers that sit around Staples Center courtside seats that Kazaam wasn't his best work and he has the charisma and star-power to get regular Hollywood work.

13) Laker fans would get a chance to embrace Shaq again.

So before you scoff at this idea imagine this scenario: 2011 NBA Finals, game 7, Lakers vs Celtics, Lakers down by 2 in with 5 seconds left, ball inbound to Artest, Kobe curls around a Shaq pick at the top of the 3-pt line, takes a dribble with time running out and heaves up a 3-pt shot, ball stays in mid-air for an eternity before it comes down hitting nothing but net as time runs out, Lakers win and Shaq embraces Kobe as the team and entire Staples Center crowd comes running onto the floor and purple and gold confetti rains down on the entire scene. Maybe it is crazy, but this whole Shaq returning to the Lakers thing actually may not be as crazy and far from reality as we think...