You’ve heard about the trade. Shaquille O’Neal from Phoenix to Cleveland for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. And now the NBA is supposed to be quaking in fear of a LeBron-Shaq pairing.

Having trouble seeing that.

If we look at this from the perspective of the Lakers, or even the Western Conference, this is something of a non-event because it’s not going to matter unless the Cavaliers get to the NBA Finals. And last time I looked, the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics looked pretty good, over in the East. With Chicago and Atlanta not far behind.

Shaq, too, is 37 and will be 38 before the 2010 playoffs begin. He hasn’t been in shape since, like, 1999-2000, and he’s lugging around 360-400 pounds. He will miss 20-30 games and be at half speed in 20 or 30 more.

Yet he is supposed to be the difference between the Cavs going out in the conference playoffs?

Well, could happen. If Shaq stays healthy and has enough left to play hard, say, every second game in the postseason (which has been about his rate of contribution since 2004), Cleveland will be better.

Then again, Shaq camped out in the low post will 1) put up one massive obstacle in the lane as LeBron drives to the hole and 2) will not pull apart a defense the way Zydrunas Ilgauskas could with his shooting range.

In theory, Shaq will negate Magic center Dwight Howard, but that may be asking a bit much, seeing as how he will be giving up 14 years and oodles of quickness and stamina.

I will give you this: It should be fun. Shaq and LeBron, LeBron and Shaq … every game will be interesting.

But the Lakers? They don’t need to worry about this until (or if) the Cavs get to the Finals with the Big Sidekick playing in the middle.