Ira Winderman

Those theater plans for Jan. 21 in New York? Change 'em.

You'll need to be at the Garden.

That dinner reservation for the CN Tower Jan. 18 in Toronto? Reschedule.

Attendance could prove mandatory at Air Canada Centre.

Those Kennedy Center plans Jan. 26 in D.C.? Find an alternate date.

Verizon Center could provide a particularly meaningful moment.

No, the Shaquille O'Neal retirement tour is not scheduled for this season, at least not according to the contract, which provides a $21 million final year in 2009-10.

But make no mistake, after what transpired this past week with Allen Iverson, another 30-something on the downside, this well could be the final season that Shaq is held in esteem because of what he might possibly deliver on the court.

Starting next season, The Big Whatever-He-Happens-To-Be-Calling-Himself-These-Days will turn into the Big Cap Relief.

Such is the NBA world, where an expiring contract is valued more than the career contributions of an undeniable superstar and first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Think Joe Dumars ultimately dealt away Chauncey Billups for the championship promise of Allen Iverson, a player who has appeared in a grand total of nine playoff games over the past three seasons?

Iverson instead has been reduced to paper, an expiring $21 million contract.

If you thought tensions were highest when Iverson had his moments with Larry Brown, Randy Ayers or Jim O'Brien in Philadelphia, consider the chaos that could ensue in Detroit if Rodney Stuckey emerges as the preferred backcourt partner alongside Rip Hamilton.

Nonetheless, for a season, Detroit will deal. Because it then will be able to deal with the NBA's ultimate commodity, cap space. Thanks for stopping by, A.I.

Which brings us back to O'Neal, and, more to the point, brings us back to how Shaq wound up in Phoenix in the first place.

Special feature The Answer? The highs and lows of Allen Iverson's career NBCSports.com

As negotiations with Heat owner Micky Arison reached the 11th hour last February, Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver needed convincing about taking on the final two-plus years on O'Neal's contract.

Arison reasoned that the final months of last season essentially would be a transition period for both his team and the Suns.

Then, during this season, the Suns could see if they could make it work with O'Neal, just as the Heat would see if it could make it work with Shawn Marion.

The difference was Marion's contract expires after this season, with $17.8 million to come off the Heat's books.

O'Neal had an additional year. No matter, Arison said, teams always are looking for expiring contracts, particular big ones, as a means of cleanly clearing cap space. If the O'Neal experience didn't work out for the Suns, Shaq surely could be written off to another team in 2009-10. Mark Cuban, after all, certainly pushed hard enough to get O'Neal for his Mavericks just before the Heat's deal with the Suns was consummated.

If anything, the Iverson deal added credibility to Arison's logic.

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That could have Shaq someplace next season where Shaq might not want to be. The last time that happened, O'Neal played the too-disinterested-to-suit-up card in Miami last December and January. He became arguably the most oversized out-of-sight, out-of-mind commodity in NBA history.

And that could make next season's O'Neal this season's version of Eddy Curry, a big contract paid not to play.

Playoff success by the Suns certainly could change that thinking, making O'Neal a keeper. But there also might be thought about reloading with a more complementary talent for the final year of Steve Nash's contract, especially with Amare Stoudemire in position to opt-out in 2010.

Indeed, that well could make these coming sixth months the final meaningful minutes of Shaquille O'Neal's storied career.

While O'Neal certainly isn't braced for a farewell tour, the reality could hit home at midseason.

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