Report: Celtics 'Close' To Signing Shaquille O'Neal

With Kendrick Perkins likely out until next January or February after suffering a torn ACL in Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals, the Celtics need size. They've already signed Jermaine O'Neal, and now, they might be signing another big-name player.

According to A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast SportsNet, the Celtics are "closing in" on a deal for none other than Shaquille O'Neal. This will obviously raise some eyebrows, because of Shaq's advanced age and his ineffectiveness in Cleveland last year, but with the Celtics' need for size, it's a logical signing.

It's unclear what kind of contract the Celtics are offering, but they may have no choice in the matter. The team already used it's full mid-level exception on Jermaine O'Neal, and they do not have their bi-annual exception because they used that on Marquis Daniels last year. Therefore, the only contract the team can realistically give Shaq is the veteran's minimum, unless the team works on some sign-and-trade arrangement with the Cavaliers. 

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