Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal said he had "a few discussions" with the Magic this summer but ultimately didn't want to be traded to a rebuilding situation.

"We had a few discussions, but my salary was too high, and I'd have to come here with a brand-new team and start over, and that's not something I really wanted to do," said O'Neal, noting Tracy McGrady already had been traded to the Houston Rockets. "I wanted to come to a team that had an exciting player, and Miami has that exciting player in Dwyane Wade. Just shows you how smart Mitch Kupchak is."

Kupchak, the Los Angeles Lakers' general manager, dealt O'Neal to the Heat.