Shaquille O’Neal was one of the biggest acquisitions in Lakers history, having been acquired from the Orlando Magic by the late Jerry West in 1996. Although the outcome of that free signing is a wonderful chapter in history, few people are aware of the actual events that transpired in order for it to occur.
The big guy revealed in his book Shaq Uncut how West was able to secure him an additional $23 million on their contract, an action that won him over as a lifelong ally.
Shaquille O’Neal thanks Jerry West for his gesture
Shaq declared he was prepared to accept LA’s initial $98 million offer. He was surprised to learn that West had made him an even greater offer. He composed,
“I’m ready to take $98 million from LA, but Jerry West calls back and he’s excited because he had just traded George Lynch and now, he can give us seven years and $121 million.”
For Shaq, the additional $23 million was cherry on top. O’Neal was eager to relocate by then considering how much the public and fans hated him at that point. A survey conducted in the city revealed that the fans wanted him off the team. Shaq wrote:
“That poll bothered me. The fans seemed like they had turned on me. I had worked my ass off for that city, and this was how they repaid me?”
After feeling betrayed by fans, Shaq felt it was time to relocate. He said,
“I hadn’t signed anything, but I had given Jerry West my word I was going to play for the Lakers, and I wasn’t going back on that.”
