Shaq Gets Traded to the Suns - Page 2

Man, the Suns are screwed. Seems like people here keep talking about Shaq like he isn't still injured. You have to wonder at what point will he stop healing?

i dont understand why they would need shaq to run their pick and roll offense. i mean nash and amare run it perfectly. also, shaq is a diva player, he always has been and always will be, do you really see him taking a limited role and not being the "focal point of the team."

there is no way he would ever play under 20 minutes a nite.

+1 on the him having no lift in his legs anymore.

On the other hand, I'm sure the Phoenix PD are happy.

What's left on Shaq's contract? According to SI "The money would work under salary cap provisions. Shaq is on the books for $20 million this season (as well as each of the next two seasons), a figure close to the combined salaries of Marion ($16.4 million this year) and Banks ($3.9 million). And there is a lot of optimism that it will work in the locker room." And if you throw in Smush Parker, even more money off the books for the Suns. The Heat can try to resign the Matrix, sell off the others for pennies on the dollar and be no worse off. Assuming Shaq can still intimidate and grab an occasional rebound, not a bad rotation for the Suns and cleans up a possibly messy situation in the locker room.

Shaq has this year and then 2 more years, whereas Marion was going to opt out after this year.

Shaq's contract is an albatross and he's not even healthy this year.

I can kind of see why PHX did this - Marion was a malcontent and did not like playing third fiddle to Amare and Nash and they went as far as they could go in the playoffs. Shaq is at least an atttempt for change - kind of an all or nothing risk (similar to what the heat did with him).

If Marion opts out after this year, the Heat immediately frees up $20M of cap space this offseason plus lands a top 4 pick. That's huge. Marion's a nice player, but as a fan of the heat, I don't want him for $17-20M.

Don't forget Edgerrin James and Kurt Warner! Seriously though, Kerr has to be betting it all that Shaq can stay healthy for this season because he's only going to get slower and more injury-prone next year. I'm sure he realizes the clock is ticking on Nash's back as well. I think the Heat lucked out BIG time as Marion is a stud, is under 30, and they've got Shaq's contract off the books. They need to keep it up and jettison the rest of the former all-stars they brought in who can't play anymore. I'm not saying it wasn't worth it for that title but they've got Dwayne Freaking Wade and it would be criminal to waste his prime. He's a top 5 player in the league when he's healthy and they need to put talent around him again or he's going to be out of there when his current deal is up in 3 years.

+1. The Heat made out like a bandit on this, while also tinting the Odom + Butler + Grant for Shaq back into their favor(not that it doesn't look okay for the Lakers now). They got a couple of good years out of Shaq, a NBA title, then succesfully freed up cap space when he's no longer productive. And Marion is definitely not worth $17M+ a year.

One of the few upsides for Phoenix is that Boris Diaw (their best half-court player IMO) gets back to the starting lineup. Which is great, except the depth of their rotation suffers; almost every other contender in the Western Div. have a superior bench.

I do not think the Suns had much to lose her, I do not beleive they were capable of winning a championship with their previous line up, so a rehash of their line up could only be positive. Maytbe that overrated PG Phoenix has can finally win a ring and live up to his hype.

Nobody cheers for Goliath.

That trade is dumb. I actually see the Suns doing worse off then they were doing w/ out shaq. And why was Marion on the trading block in the first place. I understand what the suns are trying to do (tyring to put defense back in Phoenix), however they will have to make a whole new offense because shaq cant run and they have a run and gun offense.

Marion demanded a trade in the off season because he didn't feel valued in Phoenix - despite making more money than almost anyone on the team for much of his tenure. Unfortunately he's never received the media attention given to Nash and Stoudemire and much like Joe Johnson a few years ago, seems to want to go to a team where he can be "the man".

FYI - Sports talk radio in PHX is running about a 50/50 split today between those who like the trade and those who hate it.

Think of his ability to get cats down from trees! You can't teach height. I actually think Shaq is going to look worse playing in the West again. He can't really handle the top flight big men any more (Duncan, Yao, Amare) and the small ball clubs will run him ragged. It will be interesting to see what D'Antoni does with him, because he is a very good coach, but I get feeling he was not on board with this deal. You'd think the Suns would've gotten to the Finals at some point considering the talent they've had: Nash, two-time MVP, Amare, permanent 20-9 guy who's basically unguardable in that offense, Marion, gets you 20 and 10 and you never have to run a play for him (also the best 6-7 rebounder in the league), Joe Johnson, eventual All-star with Atlanta, Boris Diaw, most improved player, Barbosa, sixth man of the year...they just can't seem to put it together (and they only play a 7-man rotation). I think that the Suns were good enough to win a ring last year and the first year Nash was there, and they were good enough this year, they just gave up on what they had.