Kobe Bryant and Dywane Wade are two of the best players in the league today and both had the help of Shaq to win their first championship in the NBA. When the Cavaliers introduced Shaquille O’Neal to the media last week he vowed to, “Win a ring for the King”. He’s delivered in the past with Wade and Bryant and now another elite superstar will need his help. With LeBron James entering the final year of his contract (it’s almost a given that he’ll opt out next season), the Cavaliers front office is feeling the pressure to make one last stand to try and convince James that Cleveland is where he wants to be.

The off-season hasn’t gone too well for the Cavaliers thus far as they’ve missed out on Ron Artest, Trevor Ariza, and Rasheed Wallace. Two of the three players, James personally contacted to try and convince to come to Cleveland. Artest claims the Cavaliers never made him an offer and Ariza says they wouldn’t promise him a starting gig, so he went to Houston where it’s almost a given that he’ll be able to start. Danny Ferry is under intense pressure right now to try and satisfy James and if LeBron does walk, expect Ferry to be on his way out of town as well.