Shaquille O'Neal To Nuggets? Analyst Says Move Would Make Sense For Denver

It's no secret to NBA fans that the Nuggets need to add some size if they are going to replicate their 2009 run to the Western Conference finals. Even with the addition of forward Al Harrington, Denver's big men are all either coming off of injuries and/or averse to playing defense. That hardly inspires confidence when the Nuggets will have to contend with the likes of Pau Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge and Yao Ming in the Western Conference.

So who better than Shaquille O'Neal to fill that void? That's the growing sentiment of some NBA analysts. Asked about Shaq's most likely destination in his latest Q and A post, veteran NBA.com writer David Aldridge says Denver's as likely a destination as any.

Denver has no size to speak of, and while the Nuggets' fast-break style certainly is antithetical to what O'Neal is good at at this point in his career, big is big. For the Nuggets to have any chance at competing in the West, they'll need someone who can put a body on Pau Gasol, Tim Duncan, Yao Ming and others.

That's only a possibility, of course, if Shaq is willing to play for a bit less that he's been asking for, which he may have to anyway, because few teams have been interested in the 38-year-old center at his current asking price.

Signing Shaq could also persuade Carmelo Anthony to sign the 3-Year, $65 million extension the team currently has on the table. 'Melo has said he wants to stay in Denver, but only if the team commits to solidifying it's porous front-line.

Nuggets officials have not yet made any indication that they are negotiating with O'Neal.