Heat Check: Shaq's Retired, What About His Jersey?

Shaquille O'Neal retired yesterday and that leaves two big questions for the Miami Heat:

1. Where does he rank in Heat history?
2. Should they retire his jersey?

This article will use Win Score and Estimated Wins Produced, statistical models created by Professor David Berri from the Wages of Wins Journal, to measure how much a player's box score statistics contributed to their team's efficiency differential and wins. An average player produces an estimated 0.100 wins per 48 minutes (Est.WP48), a star player produces +0.200 Est.WP48 and a superstar produces +0.300 Est.WP48. More information on these stats can be found at the following links:

Simple Models of Player Performance
Wins Produced vs. Win Score
What Wins Produced Says and What It Does Not Say
Introducing PAWSmin — and a Defense of Box Score Statistics

Where Does Shaq Rank in Heat History?
The answer to this question was answered previously in the following post:

Miami Heat Index: Who Is The Greatest Forward In Miami Heat History? Not LeBron James. Not Yet.

Shaq ranks ninth all-time in estimated wins produced with 27.5. Alonzo Mourning (67.3 estimated wins produced) and Rony Seikaly (45.7 estimated wins produced) both produced more wins at center for the Heat, but Shaq posted the highest est.WP48 of any center in Heat history. Zo produced 0.182 est.WP48 and  DJ Rony Seikaly produced 0.154 est.WP48.

Should the Heat Retire His Jersey?
Jason Jackson, the Heat's sideline TV reporter and SunSportsHEAT TV studio host, said on Twitter that he knows the team will retire Shaq's jersey one day.

On Twitter, I asked Heat fans and bloggers from Hot Hot Hoops, HeatFreak.com and Miami Heat Insider whether they thought Shaq's jersey should be retired and they felt differently. Here's what they had to say...

Shawn361 (Heat fan): NO just the way he left

Danny Martinez (Hot Hot Hoops blogger & my podcaster in crime): So hard. His impact on the franchise was huge. He's not Zo or Timmy, but w/o we may no longer have Wade or LeBron

Robert Mendoza (Heat fan): As ugly as his exit was you r right he was a huge part of the championship and it wouldn't feel right not retiring his jersey

MIAHEATInsider (Miami Heat Insider blog): No.

Robert Mendoza (Heat fan): Exit wasn't pretty but it is understandable, he was on the decline but he still felt like he had it in him and it got ugly

Danny Martinez (Hot Hot Hoops blogger & my podcaster in crime): fwiw I don't think they will. Or should, really. But dude meant A LOT

Jones (Heat fan): LAL is going to.. Don't think o-town will.. If Miami don't I'm not surprised

Surya Fernandez (Hot Hot Hoops EIC): I'd say no but then again Riley has retired a couple of head-scratching numbers, to say the least. Shaq burned bridges too.

Diego Quezada (Hot Hot Hoops blogger): No. Because of the way he left, taking shots at Riles, Wade and the training staff.

Alfredo Arteaga (HeatFreak.com blogger & my podcaster in crime): Yes.make him wait till the 10 year ann. of the 06' team

Dahaitianb3ast (Heat fan): That would be good

If the Heat are going to retire Shaq's jersey as Jason Jackson said, then I think Arteaga's solution is the best. Retire Shaq's jersey to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 2006 title team, but make sure Seikaly's jersey is retired in the years before that like this guy has been advocating on Twitter.

And if the criteria is Wins Produced, then the following players also need to have their numbers retired before Shaq:

• Dwyane Wade (if he's retired by 2016),
• Udonis Haslem (if he's retired by 2016),
• Eddie Jones and
• Glen Rice.

Do you think the Miami Heat should retire Shaq's jersey? Leave an opinion in the comments.