Shaquille O'Neal Signs With Celtics

Shaquille O'Neal signed with the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, making official what was widely reported a day earlier.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but ESPNBoston.com reported that O'Neal is seeking a two-year deal for the league's veteran minimum, which would pay him $1.4 million annually.

FanHouse was the first to report O'Neal's interest in the Celtics last month.

"It is not every day that you can add a player of Shaquille's caliber to your team," Celtics president Danny Ainge said. "His past experience speaks for itself, and we believe that he is a great fit for our roster."

That roster is brimming with experience, which, in NBA vernacular, means old.

Earlier this summer, the Celtics used their full mid-level exception to sign 31-year-old forward-center Jermaine O'Neal, a player whose skills have noticeably diminished thanks to injuries.

Shaq, 38, also isn't what he once was -- which, by the way, was the game's most dominant player for the better part of an 18-year career. Shaq averaged 12.0 points and 6.7 rebounds last season for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who convinced the future Hall of Famer to take a backseat to LeBron James.

A season earlier, O'Neal looked refreshed -- perhaps thanks the Phoenix Suns' medical staff -- but the Suns missed the playoffs with him as the focal point.

Shaq won't be asked to be much more than a complementary player for the Celtics, who will return their "Big Four" of Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett after losing the seventh game of the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers in June.

In that seventh game, Boston was without center Kendrick Perkins, who is scheduled to miss the first few months of the upcoming campaign -- most likely precipitating the additions of the two O'Neals.

"I am honored to be joining the Celtics," Shaq said. "I have played against Paul, Ray, Kevin, Rajon, and Jermaine for many years and it will be great to be able to call them my teammates. I cannot wait to get to Boston to get started in pursuit of another championship."

Shaq already has four championships, three of which were won with the Lakers, the Celtics' hated rivals. Los Angeles also has an intimidating frontline that includes 7-footers Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, both of whom, it can be argued, swung the Finals in the Lakers' favor.

The first overall pick in the 1992 draft by the Orlando Magic, O'Neal has posted career averages of 24.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in his career with the Magic, Lakers, Miami Heat, Suns and Cavaliers. He also has appeared in 214 career playoff games with averages of 24.5 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.

So, there you have it. Shaq has had a great career, even if he hasn't lived up to some people's expectations. In terms of next season, however, it's unclear how he will fit into Boston's rotation. One thing is for sure, as evidenced by the headline on Celtics' website immediately after the signing, there will be a new nickname.

You guessed it: The Big Shamrock.