The final buzzer of Game 5 of the 2004 NBA Finals marked a cosmic shift in the NBA. But it wasn't about the Detroit Pistons , who were just crowned NBA champions for the first time since 1990 after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 100-87. It was about the guy who left the floor of The Palace of Auburn Hills with his head down before taking off his purple and gold No. 34 jersey for the last time in his career. He just didn't know it yet.
Internal turmoil, championship fatigue, war of egos — all of it came to a head in the 2004 Finals, costing the Lakers the title and leaving the franchise at a crossroads.
On the one side was Kobe Bryant , a young, exciting superstar, hungry to prove he could step out of his giant teammate's shadow. On the other side was Shaquille O'Neal , arguably the most dominant force the NBA had ever seen.
For all their success — three straight titles from 2000 to 2002 — the two reached a point where they could no longer co-exist. And the organization had to choose one as a cornerstone for the future.
They picked Bryant.
For the first time since 1996, when he joined the Lakers, there was a bidding war for O'Neal. And Larry Bird , the President of Basketball Operations for the Indiana Pacers , was all in on acquiring the superstar big man.
"Larry Bird was running the show in Indiana, and he really wanted me to come there. He offered the Lakers anyone they wanted from his roster," O'Neal revealed in "Shaq Uncut: My Story."
After finishing his playing career with the Boston Celtics in 1992, Bird embarked on a new challenge. In 1997, he was hired as the Pacers ' head coach — and he thrived.
Bird led the Pacers to three consecutive Eastern Conference finals appearances (1998-2000), earning the Coach of the Year award in 1998. The team even made the NBA Finals in 2000, where they lost to O'Neal and the Lakers in six games.
That was the first time Bird witnessed O'Neal's playoff brilliance firsthand as a coach. And like everyone else, he was in awe .
"Sometimes, two or three guys can't stop him. He's awesome. He's a dominating player. It's hard to match up against him," Bird said after O'Neal's 40-point, 24-rebound performance in the Lakers' 111-104 Game 2 victory.
After the 2000 Finals loss, Bird retired from coaching. But he couldn't stay away from basketball for too long.
In 2003, he returned to the Pacers in a front office role — and once again, his team thrived.
Led by Jermaine O'Neal, Ron Artest and 38-year-old Reggie Miller , the Pacers won 61 regular-season games and even made the Eastern Conference finals. However, they lost to the eventual champions, the Pistons, in six games.
Still, it seemed like the Pacers had their center for the future. Until the best center in the league became available.
Had trade talks progressed any further, the Pacers would've undoubtedly had to include Jermaine in a package for Shaquille. But Larry was willing to do it.
The then-Lakers superstar had "a down year" in 2003-04, averaging 21.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 67 regular-season games. However, he still averaged 26.6 points and 10.8 rebounds in the Finals against the best defensive team in the league, headlined by Ben Wallace, who finished second in the 2003-04 Defensive Player of the Year award voting.
The Lakers criticized O'Neal for his drop in production — or they used it as a negotiating tactic amid extension talks. But Bird felt the superstar big man still had a lot to offer.
Unfortunately for him, the trade never materialized.
O'Neal was ultimately traded to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom , Caron Butler , Brian Grant and a future first-round draft pick.
In his first year with the Heat, he averaged 22.9 points and 10.4 rebounds, helping young Dwyane Wade lead the team to the 2005 Eastern Conference finals — they lost to the Pistons in seven games.
In his second year in Miami, O'Neal averaged 20.0 points and 9.2 rebounds. However, this time, the team went all the way, defeating the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 Finals to secure the organization's first-ever NBA championship.
Meanwhile, the Pacers acquired Stephen Jackson via a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks and entered the 2004-05 campaign as one of the best teams in the Association. Then, nine games into the season, the Malice at the Palace happened , changing the organization's fortunes forever.
Would the infamous brawl have been prevented if Bird had swapped the two O'Neals? Would the Pacers have taken the next step with Shaq on the roster? Would Kobe and the Lakers have gone through years of struggles with an influx of young talent from a potential deal for O'Neal?
These are all legitimate hypothetical questions. But that's not how things played out.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
