The 10 Greatest Heat players in history, ranked by Player Efficiency Rating (PER)

5. Shaquille O’Neal - 23.9

One of the top 10 players in NBA history spent his final prime years with the Heat, who traded for Shaquille O’Neal in the summer of 2004. 

Shaq spent just three-and-a-half seasons with the Heat but his presence changed everything. Although the Heat had employed the likes of Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning in the past, O’Neal was a star unlike Miami had ever seen. He arrived with a championship guarantee and followed through.

The Heat might have made the Finals in his first season had Dwyane Wade not injured his ribs during the 2005 playoffs, but they got it done the next season when they defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 Finals for the franchise’s first championship.

O’Neal averaged 21.6 points on 60% shooting, 9.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.1 blocks in those first two seasons, finishing as the runner-up for MVP in 2005 and making first-team all-NBA both seasons. He was traded to the Phoenix Suns during the 2007-8 season for Shawn Marion. 

Shaq will be remembered as a Laker, but the Heat are fortunate to have gotten the last of his prime.