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Watch Shaq calmly unload on James Harden for lying to the city of Houston
For all of the high jinks that goes down on the "Inside the NBA" set, when it comes time to calmy discuss a hot-button issue, Ernie, Shaq, Kenny and Chuck usually do a pretty good job of that.
The James Harden to Brooklyn trade would fall under the "hot-button issue" category, and it presented an opportunity to yell, scream, laugh and mock. However, Shaq chose the calm, cool, collected route, unloading on Harden for lying to the city of Houston when he said he "gave it his all."
"When you said you gave the city your all, that ain't true," O'Neal said. "I'm about to say some things, and keep in mind I have a G14 classification to say these things."
We'll let The Big Aristotle take it from there ...
Harsh, but extremely fair. And like Shaq says, he's speaking from experience. He was not easy to deal with at many of his NBA stops, particularly in L.A., where he demanded to be traded from in the summer of 2004.
Charles Barkley, of course, gave his take too, directing his ire at both harden and Kyrie Irving, who continues to be a no-show in Brooklyn.
“The only one of those three guys who has proven to me that he’s not selfish and not a ‘me’ guy is KD,” Barkley said. “KD went to Golden State and he sacrificed. James Harden and Kyrie Irving have never shown me, ‘I just want to win. That's the most important thing.’ You’ve got one guy, KD, he’s unselfish. The other two guys, they just care about their numbers, and I don’t think they’re going to make the sacrifice. They’re going to get less shots. Are those two guys going to say, I’m just going to say, ‘You know what, I’m just going to play hard and play defense and not worry about my individual numbers’? To me, that’s a hell no.”
The best part is, we get to see it all play out, potentially in disastrous fashion. Or, Brooklyn's new Big Three could surprise everybody and come together for the common goal of losing 4-1 to LeBron in the Finals. It will be fascinating to watch.
Chuck did make sure to get in one before-the-commercial break shot, as is tradition:
That's the "Inside the NBA" we know and love.