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Miami Heat: Ranking The Top 5 Acquisitions In Franchise History

By James D. Tillman III

Dallas, UNITED STATES: Miami Heat head coach Pat Riley (C) holds the Larry O'Brian trophy with Dwyane Wade (L) and Shaquille O'Neal (R) after winning the NBA finals against the Dallas Mavericks in Game 6 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas 20 June 2006. The Heat won 95-92 to take the best-of-seven series 4-2. AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP/Getty Images)
Dallas, UNITED STATES: Miami Heat head coach Pat Riley (C) holds the Larry O'Brian trophy with Dwyane Wade (L) and Shaquille O'Neal (R) after winning the NBA finals against the Dallas Mavericks in Game 6 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas 20 June 2006. The Heat won 95-92 to take the best-of-seven series 4-2. AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI – JULY 20: Shaquille O’Neal of the Miami Heat holds his new #32 jersey while standig with with President and General Manager Randy Pfund, Coach Stan Van Gundy, and Pat Riley during a press confrence at the American Airlines Arena on July 20, 2004 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images)
MIAMI – JULY 20: Shaquille O’Neal of the Miami Heat holds his new #32 jersey while standig with with President and General Manager Randy Pfund, Coach Stan Van Gundy, and Pat Riley during a press confrence at the American Airlines Arena on July 20, 2004 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images) /

2. Shaquille O’Neal

Following a disappointing Finals loss to the Detroit Pistons and the departure of Phil Jackson, O’Neal requested that the Los Angeles Lakers trade him after they decided not to offer him a contract extension.

As was the case with Mourning, Riley moved quickly to acquire yet another dominant center. The Heat sent Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and a first-round pick in exchange for “The Big Aristotle.”

"“Today the Miami Heat took a giant step forward in our continued pursuit of an NBA championship,” Heat President Pat Riley said, via USA Today. “We feel that we have traded for the best player in the NBA. You don’t get many chances to acquire the best player in the league.”"

Upon his arrival, Shaq promised the Heat would win the title. And in his second season, that promise came to fruition, as Miami defeated the Dallas Mavericks in six games.

The caveat here is, O’Neal’ didn’t play particularly well against the Mavs. Sure, his rebounding numbers (10.2 per contest) were solid, but he averaged just 13.7 points per outing — his lowest scoring output of any round of the 2006 postseason.

Furthermore, the Heat don’t win the series if it wasn’t for Dwyane Wade, who averaged 34.7 points, 7.8 rebounds 3.8 assists and 2.7 steals per game.

Miami’s moment at the top would be short-lived, however, as they were eliminated in the first round of the postseason by the Chicago Bulls the following year.  In 2008, the Heat and O’Neal parted ways following a 9-37 start.

Next: No. 1

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