Jeanie Buss Reveals What Led Lakers to Trade Shaq to Miami

Shaq and Kobe had two super sized personalities, and at times while playing on the Lakers they were at each other’s throats. What started out as brotherly love turned sour over time, and Shaq eventually got shipped off to Miami.

Did Kobe Bryant have Shaq traded?

It was that contract, and supposedly not pressure from Kobe Bryant that led the Lakers to trade Shaq to Miami.

At least that’s what current Lakers owner Jeanie Buss told Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on the latest episode of the “All The Smoke” podcast.

“[Shaq] wanted an amount of money that was legal under the CBA but it wasn’t what my Dad wanted to pay him. And so it came to the point where the decision was made to trade Shaq. A lot of people want to put that blame on Kobe. It wasn’t. It was purely a money situation.”

Between Phil Jackson, Kobe, and Shaq, there was so much drama, it’s hard to believe it was that cut and dry.

Either way it all worked out.

And eventually Kobe and Shaq would mend fences. All’s well that end’s well.

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