How would Shaq play in this era?

[Micku]

Do you think he would play the same as he did in the 3peat Lakers and have the league forcefully have to adjust their playing style to contain Shaq, would Shaq have to adjust his body shape and shoot more jumpers or would he get expose by the picks more like teams tried to do when he played?

Of all the the players, Shaq is one of those dudes that would change the league in whatever era he is in I think. He is so big and strong, that he could just dominate the paint and he is agile and have the footwork to boot. However, the emphasis on 3pt shooting and the style of play really shows the most effective way to play offense in this era. The rules benefit this style.

What do you think would happen? Do you think Shaq would have no choice but to change how he would play? Would he not be as dominant as he was before or will the league be at his mercy?

[highwhey]

99% of coaches would try to force him to shoot 3s because of analytics

[MaxPlayer]

He would obvs average 40 PPG in this weak era just like the rest of my 90s boyhood idols.

[SouBeachTalents]

I don't think any coach would be dumb enough to try to have Shaq shooting jumpers consistently. With basically no centers in today's league, Shaq would be unstoppable; but he would be a pretty significant liability defensively, teams would seek him out on pick & rolls on almost every possession

[paksat]

they'd have him practicing 3's and he'd never get off the bench because of it, that's how dumb basketball is these days.

[NBAGOAT]

I think teams abuse hack a shaq even more than usual. It’s easier to score in this era so shaq shooting even 50% on fts is a good defensive possession

[MrFonzworth]

He would have to. Would be good for 30/13

[Axe]

What do you think happens to his fg% if that becomes the case?

[CelticBaller]

Ya dumb. Prime Shaq will legit average 30 ppg in this era and would be the most dominant player in the league. You see all those small ball teams? he will eat them alive.


Great players force the era to adapt to them, not the other way around

[highwhey]

Ya dumb. Prime Shaq will legit average 30 ppg in this era and would be the most dominant player in the league. You see all those small ball teams? he will eat them alive.


Great players force the era to adapt to them, not the other way around

i don't think anyone is implying he wouldn't be capable of dominating, i think we're saying coaches/front offices are swayed too much by number crunches to actually let him dominate.

[tpols]

I don't think any coach would be dumb enough to try to have Shaq shooting jumpers consistently. With basically no centers in today's league, Shaq would be unstoppable; but he would be a pretty significant liability defensively, teams would seek him out on pick & rolls on almost every possession


He'd obviously still be dominant but I can't help but wonder what would happen with instant replay and especially the "challenge" feature coach's have now.

Lets say the opposing coach throws the red flag on this.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/DistortedSerpentineCopepod-size_restricted.gif

Most centers especially today would get knocked out from that. That was a clean 3-9 elbow across the chin from a 300 lb super athlete. Refs have to reverse that and take a look at every time he did shit like that? His offensive momentum would be significantly stalled. And like you said before, his PnR and 3 pt close out defense would already be suspect. Imagine Shaq in a series where he was to guard Brook Lopez at 30 feet. That takes away all of his rim protection.

[sundizz]

I’ll give a very detailed response. Short version he’d absolutely dominate.

Playing inside outside through Shaq and 4 perimeter shooters would actually be the most efficient form of basketball for the playoffs. There is spacing + insanely good offensive rebounding opportunities + a consistent form of offense that works. Shaq would have to make some slight adjustments to not draw offensive fouls. Similarly though teams would get wrecked trying to deal with his size.

Orlando Shaq would have zero problems on defense. If a team can play Nikola Jokic, Zubac, or Brook Lopez on the floor today any version of real Shaq (pre Miami) wouldn’t have any issues come playoff time. I’d like to see a team try and isolate on Shaq consistently it’d fail as a gimmicky way to play. He could move his feet shockingly well when needed (during playoffs). There’s also a chance given his size and speed that his teams may employ zones to allow his to conserve energy occasionally and stay close to the rim.

[FKAri]

Ya dumb. Prime Shaq will legit average 30 ppg in this era and would be the most dominant player in the league. You see all those small ball teams? he will eat them alive.


Great players force the era to adapt to them, not the other way around

Nope. Shaq would hurt his big toe and sit out then be on an indefinite load management schedule so ridiculous that it would make even Kawhi blush.

But for real tho: Refs will have a huge hand in determining how well he plays so it is impossible to say.

[Manny98]

Big fella better learn how to shoot if he's wants to dominate in this era (obviously he would dominate in this era regardless but he wouldn't be as dominant if he played like how he played in the early 2000s)

[highwhey]

https://media2.giphy.com/media/l2QE3xPE51pa30r3G/200.gif

[Turbo Slayer]

https://media.giphy.com/media/26BRFtHYP69pcI1ag/giphy.gif

[PeroAntic]

He'd dominate on offense but would be a massive liability on defence. Rich man's Boban, 25 minutes per game, 20 ppg 12 rpg.

[Reggie43]

Its laughable how underrated he was athletically and skills wise. You could keep him off the paint with three people and he would just hit you with the jumphook all day.


https://youtu.be/vRXZwg3YcGA

[999Guy]

He wouldn’t be allowed to gain all that extra weight like he did in LA. Or it would be fought against harder. People get on Embiid and Jokic a ton and they aren’t close to as big or talented.

He’d be more into a face up game.

Same lob threat but more pick and roll and less post ups.

[iamgine]

Do you think he would play the same as he did in the 3peat Lakers and have the league forcefully have to adjust their playing style to contain Shaq, would Shaq have to adjust his body shape and shoot more jumpers or would he get expose by the picks more like teams tried to do when he played?

Of all the the players, Shaq is one of those dudes that would change the league in whatever era he is in I think. He is so big and strong, that he could just dominate the paint and he is agile and have the footwork to boot. However, the emphasis on 3pt shooting and the style of play really shows the most effective way to play offense in this era. The rules benefit this style.

What do you think would happen? Do you think Shaq would have no choice but to change how he would play? Would he not be as dominant as he was before or will the league be at his mercy?

He'd keep his younger, leaner body and not bulk up so much. Teams would abuse his poor free throws and PnR play. He'd be attacked every single time and expand a lot of energy on defense. His rim protection would be near useless the way opponents will play him. I certainly think he'd not be nearly as dominant. That said, he'd still be one of the top player on offense.

[CelticBaller]

i don't think anyone is implying he wouldn't be capable of dominating, i think we're saying coaches/front offices are swayed too much by number crunches to actually let him dominate.

Nah I think Shaq's personality will force whatever team to bend the knee to him

[CelticBaller]

He'd dominate on offense but would be a massive liability on defence. Rich man's Boban, 25 minutes per game, 20 ppg 12 rpg.

Hilariously stupid. Shaq's gravity will be enough to keep him on the floor. Teams will be swarming the paint to build a wall, creating a lot of spacing for shooters.

Put Shaq on a team like today's heat and he's cruising to the finals

[Smoke117]

He'd dominate on offense but would be a massive liability on defence. Rich man's Boban, 25 minutes per game, 20 ppg 12 rpg.

lol Of all the stupid shit you've said over the years this might just take the cake as the winner above all.

[PeroAntic]

Hilariously stupid. Shaq's gravity will be enough to keep him on the floor. Teams will be swarming the paint to build a wall, creating a lot of spacing for shooters.

Put Shaq on a team like today's heat and he's cruising to the finals
I said he would dominate on offense you illiterate shit. On defense they would take him apart with 3pt shooting and pnr which he was always bad at defending.

[E_Stamkos]

He would completely change the game.

GM's would have to roll back the format to years passed.

We would still be in the 3point dog fest we are in now, but Shaq would be the one exception to the rule, where coaches would have to cater to him, in terms of matchups.

When a team goes really small, you often see the opposing coach counter by rolling out a similar lineup. He would give a team like Houston absolute fits.

Too big and quite frankly, too damn skilled.

I'd love to see it.

[CelticBaller]

I said he would dominate on offense you illiterate shit. On defense they would take him apart with 3pt shooting and pnr which he was always bad at defending.

Sight... You honeslty believe he will play 25 minutes when his offensive impact goes beyond him touching the ball?

If so yes you're a retard. Guy like Harden used to get huge minutes despite being a defensive liability because of their overall presence, same with Curry before they started shadowing him.

Edit: Also we are not even talking about fastbreak opportunities. Prime Shaq used to run up and down the court before his later years as a Laker. In today's pace he will be a train no one wants to guard

[Wally450]

I'd rather 70% shooting on 2s than 40% on 3s.

[E_Stamkos]

Its laughable how underrated he was athletically and skills wise. You could keep him off the paint with three people and he would just hit you with the jumphook all day.


https://youtu.be/vRXZwg3YcGA

And look at the size of all those guys he's floating the ball over.

He'd f*ucking shred the game as it is currently constituted.

[E_Stamkos]

Also... One might even contend that Orlando Shaq would be even more dominate.

Where's that Shaq Attack poster

[Gudo]

I know divac flopped on him a lot before but he didnt really have much success anyway. I sont know how the blatant flopping nowadays would affect shaqs offence, if that would mostly get him in foul trouble

[PeroAntic]

Sight... You honeslty believe he will play 25 minutes when his offensive impact goes beyond him touching the ball?

If so yes you're a retard. Guy like Harden used to get huge minutes despite being a defensive liability because of their overall presence, same with Curry before they started shadowing him.

Edit: Also we are not even talking about fastbreak opportunities. Prime Shaq used to run up and down the court before his later years as a Laker. In today's pace he will be a train no one wants to guard

Youre comparing the perimeter defence of Shaq and Harden and calling me a retard? lol

not to mention that he'd be exhausted from trying to follow players to the perimeter to run up and down the court all the time.



I'd rather 70% shooting on 2s than 40% on 3s.
this is obviously the crux of the issue. Because I think the math is wrong here. I have no doubt Shaq would be 70% fg, but three pointers against Shaq would be closer to 50%. Obviously this is Lakers Shaq we're talking about here, and he would mae KAT look like he has quick feet.

[CelticBaller]

Youre comparing the perimeter defence of Shaq and Harden and calling me a retard? lol

not to mention that he'd be exhausted from trying to follow players to the perimeter to run up and down the court all the time.



lmao Prime Shaq isn't Cleveland Shaq you idiot. The guy used to play 40 min games regularly

You been clowned enough. go back and watch orlando highlights and 2000 laker playoffs highlights and educate yourself tool

[PeroAntic]

lmao Prime Shaq isn't Cleveland Shaq you idiot. The guy used to play 40 min games regularly

You been clowned enough. go back and watch orlando highlights and 2000 laker playoffs highlights and educate yourself tool

Lakers threepeat Shaq was closer to Cleveland Shaq than Orlando Shaq on defence. youre the one that needs to go back to watching highights lol

[Reggie43]

Lakers threepeat Shaq was closer to Cleveland Shaq than Orlando Shaq on defence. youre the one that needs to go back to watching highights lol

Wow such an insane take :facepalm

[CelticBaller]

Lakers threepeat Shaq was closer to Cleveland Shaq than Orlando Shaq on defence. youre the one that needs to go back to watching highights lol

And you dumbass? His offensive threat in today's game would surpass anybody in today's league. He would be a huge plus on the floor by just standing near the paint and grabbing 3 defenders on him.

His defense would be overlooked when he is the focus of one of the most dominant offenses in the league. Only a retard like you would think to play him 25 minutes

[PeroAntic]

Wow have to deal with multiple morons here that can't make a difference between offense and defense and don't remember how fat and lazy Lakers Shaq was. thinking hes gonna run after 3pt shooting wings. jesus f christ.

Bottomline is 70% on twos is not enough to compensate for 50% on threes. Shaq would be benched for significant part of games including the end.

[Reggie43]

Shaq at his Lakers peak had arguably the Goat single season ever and this dude is trying to argue that he would play only 25 mins a night :lol

[CelticBaller]

Wow have to deal with multiple morons here that can't make a difference between offense and defense and don't remember how fat and lazy Lakers Shaq was. thinking hes gonna run after 3pt shooting wings. jesus f christ.

Bottomline is 70% on twos is not enough to compensate for 50% on threes. Shaq would be benched for significant part of games including the end.

Rudy Gobert is a trash perimeter defender, we saw the Nuggets expose him in the first round.

You know how many minutes he averages? 34. Shaq, who by far will have a greater positive impact on the floor is expected to play less minutes?

Again, you're an idiot

[PeroAntic]

Gobert has no business playing near that many minutes either tbh

[CelticBaller]

oh yes, a guy with a 3.3 BPM,21.7 PER and 10.7 WS has no business playing 30+ minutes....

[Round Mound]

Prime Shaq would destroy this era where no contact is allowed. He would have it easer on the offensive end. On the defensive end he just block shots and rebound.

Shaq had post moves aswell as great ballhandling in a face up game for a 7'1 ft dude.

[Round Mound]

Prime Shaq would destroy this era where no contact is allowed. He would have it easer on the offensive end. On the defensive end he just block shots and rebound.

Shaq had post moves aswell as great ballhandling in a face up game for a 7'1 ft dude.

[elementally morale]

He would become a different player. You put Lakers Shaq in this era and he plays the same he did. Much success on offense... a lot less on D. But if you have young Shaq, I think he would play more like David Robinson. He had the skill. His passing would be great in this era. Not Jokic good but at least Marc Gasol good.

[StrongLurk]

He'd get a small boost to offense, but a worse decrease for defense.

[Carbine]

He would be even more dominant.

He's the ultimate counter to small ball. He would probably average 40/20 against these Rockets for example. I don't think that's an exaggeration either.

He would give up some clean looks on defense but 40/20 is 40/20

[Micku]

He would be even more dominant.

He's the ultimate counter to small ball. He would probably average 40/20 against these Rockets for example. I don't think that's an exaggeration either.

He would give up some clean looks on defense but 40/20 is 40/20


That's the thing that's very curious to me. Like AD didn't attack the paint take advantage of his size. But Shaq could and should. Even in his Orlando years, he was massive. But in his prime Laker years, he was just too big and too strong. This small ball won't work. He his footwork was too good, strength and his touch around the rim. They sometimes put the whole team on him, including a bunch of big dudes, it didn't matter.

With that said, they could in turn, beat him with the pick and 3 ball.

So, it depends on if they shoot their 3ball shot efficiently enough to outscore Shaq's dominance in the paint. Assuming if he played the same way. Like in the 2000 finals, he average 38 ppg on 17 rpg on 61% shooting. We might see that in the playoffs again in this era with Shaq. It just depends on how they make him play defense. You can't have him in the paint on d and it's much easier to draw fouls now.

[Phoenix]

With more modern nutrition and training I think teams would work more with him to maintain his Orlando shape. Shaq didnt have the greatest work ethic but I seem to recall him saying he bulked up as time went on to maintain a physical edge and be even better at absorbing contact. With how the game is called now he wouldn't have to worry about overly physical play and guys draping themselves all over his shoulders trying to stop him, so maybe he maintains better, sleeker conditioning over the years.

If he did that and started playing in say, 2005, till now? I honestly think 15 years of Shaq in the modern era would have people saying he is GOAT. Barely any center competition and the league turning more to small-ball, he'd be a singular aberration forcing teams to adjust to him. Surround him with 3 point shooters on either wing, and it's over. Guys would be lining up to play with him based on the looks he can get them. Can you imagine him with like Steph Curry and the internal/ external gravity that duo has? Jesus H. Christ.