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| Back in his Orlando days, including the Magic's run to the NBA finals in 1995, Hardaway was the first in the triumvirate of young, high-scoring guards that O'Neal has been paired with throughout his NBA career. They didn't get an NBA championship together that season but will give it another shot this year in Miami. O'Neal teamed with Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers, and helped Wade deliver a championship to Miami in 2006. Hardaway and O'Neal teamed to average nearly 48 points per game in their three seasons together with Orlando -- but that duo was split more than a decade ago, when O'Neal headed to the Lakers. A year later, Hardaway was widely perceived to be the reason then-Magic coach Brian Hill was fired. Hardaway was sent to Phoenix before the 1999-2000 season in a sign-and-trade deal for forwards Pat Garrity and Danny Manning, along with two draft picks. The Suns shipped him to the Knicks midway through the 2003-04 season, and another trade brought him back to Orlando in February 2006 -- for five whole days before the Magic waived Hardaway and his expiring $15.8 million contract. At the time, Hardaway said he planned to continue playing. A year and a half later, he's getting that opportunity. |