Say hello to the Jolly Green Giant: Shaq to the Celtics?
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Shaquille O’Neal will probably sign with the Boston Celtics tonight or Wednesday, sources told ESPN The Magazine’s Chris Broussard.
NBA.com and Comcast SportsNet New England indicated that the Celtics were ‘close’ to signing the four-time NBA champion.
‘For me, it’s been a real thinking process,’ O’Neal told The Associated Press on Tuesday. ‘I came into the league very graciously and want to go out very graciously. My main thought was I would like to play for a winning franchise, somebody that’s used to winning, somebody that keeps winning. Hopefully, I’ll make my decision here in the next one or two days.’
The Celtics can offer only the veteran minimum salary ($1.35 million for a veteran of 10-plus NBA seasons), but Cleveland could facilitate a sign-and-trade with Boston if the 38-year-old center wants more money.
-- Houston Mitchell