That was where we stood Wednesday morning, as Celtics coach Doc Rivers admitted at a pre-Game 5 shootaround that his 39-year-old center was unlikely to play that night against the Heat. Speculation abounded, quickly and recklessly.
Was he done for the series? If there was a Game 6 or Game 7, could he come back days later? Was he done for the playoffs? Was he done forever?
It was one quote from one shootaround, and we all got a little carried away.
But now we have a little clarity.
The Celtics’ season is now over, thanks to a 97-87 thumping at the hands of LeBron James and the Heat. The picture is starting to become a little clearer. Shaq’s done for the year now, and he can either accept or decline to come back next year for a player option at the league minimum (mind you, for a 20-year veteran, that’s a cool $1,399,507).
Chances are he’s done. He doesn’t need the money, he doesn’t need the stress of playing in Boston and he doesn’t need any more physical wear and tear. His time is likely up. He can walk away at 39, a four-time champion and a millionaire hundreds of times over, happy as can be.
Shaq will be fine. But for the NBA at large, this will be tough. It’s the end of an era.
Since 1998, when Michael Jordan went out on top after winning his sixth ring, every NBA Finals has featured at least one of either Shaq, Kobe Bryant or Tim Duncan. Those three dominant players have ruled the last 13 years in this league. Kobe won five rings. Shaq and Duncan each won four.
It’s unlikely that any of them will win again.
Shaq is on his way out the door, it would appear. Kobe is still going strong, somewhat, but he turns 33 this summer, and it looks like his team’s in disarray. Duncan, well, he’s still breathing. But his Spurs overperformed this season, and the odds aren’t good of him ever seeing another Finals.
A generation of NBA fans grew up watching these three guys rule. A generation of players came of age losing to them. A generation of coaches, executives and media members worked in an environment that worshiped them. But now it appears their time has come.
It’s still early May, and all three of the game’s living legends have bowed out of the NBA playoffs. But there are three extremely big names still standing in LeBron, Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose.
James is 26 years old. Durant and Rose are each 22. Raw though they might be — especially the latter two — this could be the year that one of them bucks NBA tradition and wins it all. The old cliche is that youth doesn’t win championships in this league. It takes a special kind of player to disprove that.
Shaq, Kobe and Duncan were those players. LeBron, Durant and D-Rose have that potential as well. Maybe at this time in 2024, people will be talking about the first Finals in 13 years without any of those three.
If this is really the end for Shaq, the big fella can walk away with no regrets. His era has been a joy to watch, and now another can begin.
Does LeBron James, Kevin Durant or Derrick Rose have a brighter future in the NBA? Share your thoughts below.
