Editing Shaquille O'Neal (section)

===Miami Heat (2004–2008)===
====MVP runner-up (2004–2005)====
[[File:Shaquille O'Neal1.jpg|thumb|O'Neal with the [[Miami Heat]] in February 2007]]
On July 14, 2004, O'Neal was traded to the [[Miami Heat]] for [[Caron Butler]], [[Lamar Odom]], [[Brian Grant]], and a future first-round [[draft (sports)|draft]] choice (the Lakers used the draft choice to select [[Jordan Farmar]] in the [[2006 NBA draft|2006 draft]]). O'Neal reverted from (his Lakers jersey) number 34 to number 32, which he had worn while playing for the Magic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-09 |title=Heat to retire Shaq's No. 32 jersey next season |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/14747852/miami-heat-retiring-shaquille-oneal-no-32-jersey-next-season |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> Upon signing with the Heat, O'Neal promised the fans that he would bring a championship to Miami. He claimed one of the main reasons for wanting to be traded to Miami was because of their up-and-coming star [[Dwyane Wade]], to whom he gave the nickname "Flash". With O'Neal on board, the new-look Heat surpassed expectations, claiming the best record in the Eastern Conference in 2004–05 with 59 wins. He played in 73 games, his most since 2001 season, averaged 22.9 points a game along with 10.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. O'Neal made his 12th consecutive All-Star Team, made the All-NBA 1st Team, and won the Eastern Conference Player of the Month award for his performance in March. O'Neal also narrowly lost the [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05]] [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP Award]] to [[Phoenix Suns]] guard [[Steve Nash]] in one of the closest votes in NBA history.<ref name="mvp_vote_2005">{{cite web | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2005.html | publisher = Basketball Reference | title = 2004–05 NBA Awards Voting | access-date = June 1, 2011 | archive-date = June 4, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110604225723/http://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2005.html }}</ref>

Despite being hobbled by a deep thigh bruise, O'Neal led the Heat to the [[2005 NBA Playoffs#Conference finals|Eastern Conference finals]] and a game 7 against the defending champion [[Detroit Pistons]], losing by a narrow margin. Afterwards, O'Neal and others criticized Heat head coach [[Stan Van Gundy]] for not calling enough plays for O'Neal.<ref>{{cite news 
 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE4DA1230F934A15751C1A9639C8B63 
 |first=Liz 
 |last=Robbins 
 |title=BASKETBALL; Riley, Advocating for O'Neal, Objects to the 'Sumo' Defense 
 |quote=The criticism O'Neal and others had for Van Gundy after the Heat's loss to Detroit in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals last season was that he did not call enough plays for O'Neal. 
 |date=December 27, 2005 |newspaper=The New York Times 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110210004/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE4DA1230F934A15751C1A9639C8B63
 |archive-date=November 10, 2012 |access-date=November 17, 2010 |url-status=live
 }}</ref> 
In August 2005, O'Neal signed a 5-year-extension with the Heat for $100&nbsp;million. Supporters applauded O'Neal's willingness to take what amounted to a pay cut and the Heat's decision to secure O'Neal's services for the long term. They contended that O'Neal was worth more than $20&nbsp;million per year, particularly given that lesser players earned almost the same amount.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-08-02 |title=Shaq, Heat agree to five-year, $100M contract |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=2122716 |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=ESPN.com |language=en |archive-date=December 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228183153/https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=2122716 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Fourth championship (2005–2006)====
[[File:Heatwhitehouse.jpg|thumb|O'Neal holding the championship ball when the NBA champion [[Miami Heat]] team visited the [[White House]] in February 2007]]
In the second game of the [[2005–06 NBA season|2005–06 season]], O'Neal injured his right ankle and subsequently missed the following 18 games. Upon O'Neal's return, Van Gundy resigned, citing family reasons, and [[Pat Riley]] assumed head coach responsibilities.<ref name=ventre/> O'Neal later referred to Van Gundy as a "frontrunner" and a "master of panic".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-03-04 |title=Shaq: Magic's Van Gundy is 'a master of panic' |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3953133 |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=ESPN.com |language=en |archive-date=December 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228183315/https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3953133 |url-status=live }}</ref> Many critics stated that Heat coach Riley correctly managed O'Neal during the rest of the season, limiting his minutes to a career low. Riley felt doing so would allow O'Neal to be healthier and fresher come playoff time. Although O'Neal averaged career lows (or near-lows) in points, rebounds, and blocks, he said in an interview "Stats don't matter. I care about winning, not stats. If I score 0 points and we win I'm happy. If I score 50, 60 points, break the records, and we lose, I'm pissed off. 'Cause I knew I did something wrong. I'll have a hell of a season if I win the championship and average 20 points a game."<ref>[http://www.shaqquotes.com Shaq Quotes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109171713/http://www.shaqquotes.com/ |date=January 9, 2016 }}. Retrieved June 17, 2015.</ref> During the 2005–06 season, the Heat recorded only a .500 record without O'Neal in the line-up.<ref>[http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/347830-kobe-or-shaq-who-has-been-more-important-to-their-teams-over-the-years "Kobe or Shaq: Who Has Been More Important To Their Teams Over the Years?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225142433/http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/347830-kobe-or-shaq-who-has-been-more-important-to-their-teams-over-the-years |date=February 25, 2021 }}. ''Bleacher Report''. Retrieved June 17, 2015.</ref>

On April 11, 2006, O'Neal recorded his second career [[triple-double]] against the [[Toronto Raptors]] with 15 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists.<ref name="HotHoops">Kraczkowski, Kevin. [http://www.hothothoops.com/2013/10/7/4814160/miami-heat-player-countdown-15-shaquille-oneal "Miami Heat Player Countdown: 15. Shaquille O'Neal"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908111909/http://www.hothothoops.com/2013/10/7/4814160/miami-heat-player-countdown-15-shaquille-oneal |date=September 8, 2017 }}. (October 7, 2013). Retrieved June 17, 2015.</ref> O'Neal finished the 2005–06 season as the league leader in field goal percentage.<ref name="HotHoops"/>
In the [[2006 NBA Playoffs]], the Heat first faced the younger [[Chicago Bulls]], and O'Neal delivered a dominating 27 point, 16 rebound and 5 blocks performance in game 1 followed by a 22-point effort in game 2 to help Miami take a 2–0 lead in the series. Chicago would respond with two dominating performances at home to tie the series, but Miami would respond right back with a victory at home in game 5. Miami returned to Chicago and closed out the series in the 6th game, highlighted by another dominating performance by O'Neal who finished with 30 points and 20 rebounds. Miami advanced to face New Jersey, who won a surprising game 1 victory before the Heat won four straight to assure a rematch with Detroit. The Pistons had no answer for Wade throughout the series, while O'Neal delivered 21 points and 12 rebounds in game 3 followed by 27 points and 12 boards in game 4 to help Miami take a 3–1 series lead. The Pistons would win game 5 in Detroit, and Wade would once again get injured, but the Heat 
held on to win game 6 with O'Neal scoring 28 points with 16 rebounds and 5 blocks to help Miami reach their first-ever NBA Finals.<ref name="Heat Playoffs Summary">[http://www.nba.com/heat/history/playoff_history_2006.html "Heat Playoff History 2006"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510081749/http://www.nba.com/heat/history/playoff_history_2006.html |date=May 10, 2015 }}. Retrieved June 17, 2015.</ref>

In the Finals, the Heat were underdogs against the [[Dallas Mavericks]] led by [[Dirk Nowitzki]], and the Mavericks won the first two games at home in dominating fashion. The Heat led by Wade and a balanced effort by O'Neal, [[Antoine Walker]] and [[Jason Williams (basketball, born 1975)|Jason Williams]] would go on to win all three of the next games at home, before closing out the series in Dallas to deliver the first NBA title for the franchise and O'Neal's fourth title. With Wade carrying the offensive load, O'Neal did not need to have a dominating series, and finished with an average of 13.7 points and 10.2 rebounds for the series.<ref name="Heat Playoffs Summary"/>

====Surgery and Wade's injury (2006–2007)====
In the {{NBA Year|2006|app=season}}, O'Neal missed 35 games after an injury to his left knee in November required surgery.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=261117014
| title = Knicks take advantage of Shaq-less heat with blowout
| quote = Starting with Shaquille O'Neal's left knee, the Miami Heat are hurting.
| date = November 17, 2006
| work = ESPN
| agency = Associated Press
| access-date = November 10, 2010
| archive-date = November 5, 2012
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121105213510/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=261117014
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| url = http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270124011
| title = Shaq, Wade return in Heat's OT loss to Pacers
| quote = O'Neal, who came off the bench after missing 35 games while recovering from knee surgery, finished with five points and five rebounds in 14 minutes.
| date = January 24, 2007
| work = ESPN
| agency = Associated Press
| access-date = November 10, 2010
| archive-date = November 5, 2012
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121105213519/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270124011
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> After one of those missed games, a Christmas Day match-up against the Lakers, he ripped Jackson, who O'Neal had once called a second father, referring to his former coach as "[[Benedict Arnold]]". Jackson had previously said, "The only person I've ever [coached] that hasn't been a worker... is probably Shaq."<ref>{{cite news 
 |url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/16357098/ 
 |title=Shaq rips Jackson as 'Benedict Arnold' 
 |quote="How can Benedict Arnold be reliable in what he says?" O'Neal said Monday after the Miami Heat's 101–85 victory over the Lakers, the ''Los Angeles Times'' reported. 
 |date=December 26, 2006 |publisher=NBC Sports 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315213209/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/16357098
 |archive-date=March 15, 2011 |access-date=November 12, 2010 
 }}</ref> The Heat struggled during O'Neal's absence,<ref name="HeatHistory">{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nba/miami/heat.html |title=Miami Heat – Sports Ecyclopedia |website=www.sportsecyclopedia.com |access-date=June 17, 2015 |archive-date=May 9, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509112905/http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nba/miami/heat.html |url-status=live }}</ref> but with his return won seven of their next eight games. Bad luck still haunted the squad, however, as Wade dislocated his left shoulder, leaving O'Neal as the focus of the team.<ref name="HeatHistory"/> Critics doubted that O'Neal, now in his mid-30s, could carry the team into the playoffs.<ref>Thorpe, David. (March 3, 2007). [https://insider.espn.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=thorpe_david&page=ScoutingShaq "Scouting breakdown: Can Shaq carry the Heat?"] . Retrieved June 17, 2015.</ref> The Heat went on a winning streak that kept them in the race for a playoff spot, which they finally secured against the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] on April 5.<ref name="HeatHistory"/>

In a rematch of the previous year, the Heat faced the Bulls in the first round of the 2006–07 NBA playoffs. The Heat struggled against the Bulls and although O'Neal put up reasonable numbers, he was not able to dominate the series. The Bulls swept the Heat, the first time in 50&nbsp;years a defending NBA champion was swept in the opening round.<ref>[[#oneal2011|O'Neal, MacMullan 2011]], p. 206.</ref> It was the first time in 13 years that O'Neal did not advance into the second round. In the 2006–07 season O'Neal reached 25,000 career points, becoming the 14th player in NBA history to accomplish that milestone. However, it was the first season in O'Neal's career that his scoring average dropped below 20&nbsp;points per game.<ref name=brstats/>

====Career lows and disagreements (2007–2008)====
O'Neal experienced a rough start for the 2007–08 season, averaging career lows in points, rebounds, and blocks. His role in the offense diminished, as he attempted only 10 field goals per game, versus his career average of 17. In addition, O'Neal was plagued by fouls, and during one stretch fouled out of five consecutive games. O'Neal's streak of 14 straight [[NBA All-Star Game|All-Star]] appearances ended that season.<ref name=brstats/> O'Neal again missed games due to injuries, and the Heat had a 15–game losing streak.<ref>{{cite book |last1=O'Neal |first1=Shaquille |last2=MacMullan |first2=Jackie |title=Shaq Uncut: My Story |pages=[https://archive.org/details/shaquncutmystory00onea_0/page/210 210–11] |year=2011 |publisher=Grand Central Publishing |isbn=978-1-4555-0441-1 |ref=oneal2011 |url=https://archive.org/details/shaquncutmystory00onea_0/page/210|url-access=registration|via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> According to O'Neal, Riley thought he was faking the injury.<ref>[[#oneal2011|O'Neal, MacMullan 2011]], p. 212.</ref> During a practice in February 2008, O'Neal got into an altercation with Riley over the coach ordering a tardy [[Jason Williams (basketball, born 1975)|Jason Williams]] to leave practice. The two argued face-to-face, with O'Neal poking Riley in the chest and Riley slapping his finger away. Riley soon after decided to trade O'Neal.<ref>[[#oneal2011|O'Neal, MacMullan 2011]], pp. 215–16.</ref> O'Neal said his relationship with Wade was not "all that good" by the time he left Miami, but he did not express disappointment at Wade for failing to stand up for him.<ref>[[#oneal2011|O'Neal, MacMullan 2011]], p. 216.</ref>

O'Neal played 33 games for the Miami Heat in the 2007–08 season prior to being traded to the Phoenix Suns. O'Neal started all 33 games and averaged 14.2 points per game. Following the trade to Phoenix, O'Neal averaged 12.9 points while starting all 28 games with the Suns.