The HEAT announced today that they will retire Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 32 jersey in a special halftime ceremony on December 22nd at AmericanAirlines Arena when the HEAT take on the Los Angeles Lakers. The ceremony, which will be hosted by HEAT Television Play-By-Play Announcer, Eric Reid, will include a video presentation and the raising of the No. 32 retirement banner to the rafters of the Arena. O’Neal and HEAT President, Pat Riley, are also scheduled to address the fans. In addition, TV broadcast partner, FOX Sports Sun, will air the entire ceremony live on the local television broadcast. O’Neal will become the third HEAT player to have his jersey retired, joining HEAT greats Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway.
Not completely unexpected, and not inappropriate, I'd say. Even though his tenure there was relatively short - less than half as long as he was with the Lakers, and not quite the full four years he spent with the Magic - he remains one of their biggest acquisitions, and he definitely had an impact while he was there. Even though Wade took the reigns as they won that first championship, he was still relevant, and an All-Star.
