Penny Hardaway, Shaquille O'Neal, and Why Lil' Penny Is Better For Miami
Reports surfaced today that former Miami Heat point guard Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway was interested in coming out of retirement to rejoin the team for the 2011 season.
Hardaway was enticed by the thought of playing with Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh. Despite being 39 years of age, he still feels he can contribute to the Heat's championship goal.
Miami is also said to be considering former Heat star Shaquille O'Neal, who is 38.
If both players do sign, Miami will have a geriatric edge to go with the rest of their considerable talent.
Hardaway was once considered one of the best point guard prospects to enter the NBA since Magic Johnson, but a succession of knee injuries robbed him of the quickness and explosiveness that helped make him special. His best professional season was probably 1994-1995 when Hardaway, on an Orlando Magic team featuring O'Neal, was swept by the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals.
Hardaway went on to have many more solid NBA seasons, but he was never the same player after his injuries. Although his 15.2 points per game, 4.5 rebounds, and 5 assist career numbers are decent, they don't match the expectations of his talent.
O'Neal led the Los Angeles Lakers to three consecutive championships, and was an instrumental piece in the Heat's title run in 2006. However, time has taken a toll on O'Neal's game.
O'Neal, considered one of the greatest NBA centers to ever play the game, may have been recognized as the game's best had he put more effort into conditioning and training.
O'Neal still has the enormous strength that he has used to overpower opponents in the past, but the quickness he once possessed in the post has faded.
Younger, quicker players have passed him by.
Both players have seen the best of their playing days, and while O'Neal could at least provide some front court help to a team desperately in need of bodies, it's not a sure thing Hardaway is in NBA shape.
Hardaway's physical skills had eroded to the point where he was nothing more than a role player by the time he retired in 2007. What makes anyone think he could return and be effective in 2011?
The Heat would be better off signing a D-league player than Hardaway.
In the case of O'Neal, the recent signing of Zydrunas Ilglauskas means Miami should have met their quota of slow, aging centers.
But, O'Neal has expressed a desire to play for a few more years, and there is a possibility the Heat will take a chance on Hardaway, despite his age and time away from the game. The move could have some benefits for Miami.
Pat Riley would have two more roster spots filled and Nike just might bring back Hardaway's Lil' Penny character. Lil' Penny was hilarious, and his party puppet nature blends perfectly with the excitement coarsing through the streets of Miami due to their free agency coup.
Lil' Penny was all the rage in 1995, in much the same manner that Miami's super team is the rage right now. I can already envision a puppet line featuring Wade and Chris Bosh as well.
Hardaway and O'Neal may have been great players in their primes, but that time has passed.
Unless Miami has a secret plan to bring Lil Penny back to life, they should probably let Hardaway stay in retirement.
