The craziest three weeks in the middle of an NBA season will continue. Jason Kidd is being shopped and apparently Pau Gasol going to the Lakers wasn’t surprising enough…now this bomb gets dropped today.
Miami is telling Shaq to get ready to be traded…and the Phoenix Suns are the front-runner? Britney Spears isn’t making this up??? Wow.
Definitely didn’t see this coming when I woke up this morning
A lot of reaction…mainly from Greg Anthony, who, well doesn’t count in the long run. For pete’s sake the guy just crowned the Lakers as the best team in the West and the Cavs as the team most likely to beat Boston. They should replace him with Stacey Dales. She’s way smarter, better looking and a better shooter. But I disgress.
Shaq to Phoenix for Marion and Marcus Banks is what is being reported. On a white piece of paper the argument seems like a no-brainer. That was the gut reaction that I witnessed when myself and 5 other basketball players saw the news. A combination of shock, surprise and smiles. Either ‘Heck yeah you snag Shaq’ or ‘No way’ was being thrown around. There is no in-between. However, if you really start to think about it…it’s a questionable trade.
Phoenix
POSITIVES
Shaquille O’Neal is one of the greatest centers to ever play the game. And he’s done this before..came to Miami and within a couple years they were hoisting up a banner. I don’t care what you want to say about Shaq’s numbers but a frontcourt that boasts Shaq and Amare is pretty nice. Shaq can still at times attract attention and would more than likely be rejuvenated by another chance to win a title. Stick with me on the rejuvenation: remember that Shaq was a beast the first two years in Miami averaging 22 and 10, plus they won a title. It’s since that title win that he’s really jumped the shark if you will. The Suns already do a tremendous job of spacing the floor offensively. Now imagine the spacing with Shaq in the post, Nash, Bell and Grant Hill on the perimeter with Amare at the high post. Who do you double? Having Shaq can move Amare over to the 4 and could relieve some of the pressure he faces down low. High-low game of Amare and Shaq would be nice. Essentially Phoenix would have a true center for the first time in the D’Antoni years. Defensively the Suns get a big presence in there, he isn’t going to block many shots but he’s still Shaq. Now Amare doesn’t have to be THE post defender. A different positive is the fact that they actually get some compensation for Marion, instead of watching him opt out after the season. It’s clear he wants out, anyone who doesn’t think so is lying to themselves. You get rid of Marion and get a future HOFer. Marcus Banks isn’t that much of a factor and you could always ask for Smush Parker for insurance. Smush would be a free agent next year and you would no longer be saddled with Banks for 4 more years. And the question is are they losing that much by losing Marion? He’s been known to disappear in the playoffs. He’s clearly been grumbling for ages now and is one of the reasons why Phoenix’s chemistry has fallen so far from where it used to be. Marion and Amare can’t both be in Phoenix, so why not get rid of Marion while you can.
NEGATIVES
All of that being said it isn’t all peaches and cream with Shaq. Anyone who could call themself a “Shaq Supporter” has to have been somewhat depressed. This year he has faced single coverage for the majority of the time and has been unable to cash in. He’s made bad decisions kicking the ball out of the double-teams he’s faced. For the first time he’s truly looked over the hill at times. People might play the “rejuvenated” angle but people in the “know” simply know better. We all know he can easily put up better numbers than Diaw and Skinner. But at this point it is preposterous to realistically expect more than 15 and 8 or 9 from the big guy. Is that worth giving up Marion’s versatility and perimeter defense for? What happens if Amare and Shaq are both in foul trouble? Can Shaq fit into the Suns high-tempo game? Can he log the minutes? Will he be able to play defense? Also, making such a drastic move at mid-season could have the Suns backing into the playoffs. With the natural adjustment time and having to not only get Shaq healthy (remember he’s hurt) but get him acclimated to everyone and the system…would the Suns be better off just giving it their best shot with these guys? Also, trading Marcus Banks puts more pressure on Steve Nash and could force D’Antoni to slide Barbosa to the 1 to give him a rest. That…never works. He’d be better off sliding Grant Hill over.
Miami
POSITIVES
If you’re the Heat this is step 1 of admitting that you have a problem. This off-season showed off their stubbornness and the fact that they are in denial. Everyone said they needed to add pieces…they didn’t. Look what happened. This is the first major step of admitting that the glory days are over and rebuilding for the future. Because rebuilding in the East could take different times depending on the job. For Boston it took less than a year…for New York…you get the point. You’re getting rid of Shaq who is clearly handicapping your future. It’s clear that a team with D-Wade, 2008 Shaq and not much else can not come close to getting the job done. It’s also clear that Shaq wasn’t going to give everything he had for a team that was going in the wrong direction. Unfortunately he’s contract gives you next to zero flexibility to really make any moves or sign any guys. When Mo Williams and Charlie Bell were your “big” signings (and they said no thanks) the writing should have been on the wall. That being said you get nice compensation for Shaq. Not nearly the Odom/Butler package they gave up to get him but still not too bad. Marion will be motivated to prove everyone wrong and show just how good he is. This would translate to someone not named D-Wade actually trying. It would also make Marion the only person trying o defense. He is also a double-double threat every night. He’s an excellent #2 guy and that’s what he would be besides D-Wade. Marion, alongside Wade in addition to all the expiring contracts isn’t a bad template to start over with.
NEGATIVES
Marion could easily opt out which would mean you traded Shaq for Marcus Banks. Which would go down in history as an absolutely horrifying trade. Even if he doesn’t, Marion has never been known as someone who can create his own scoring. He’s flourished on teams led by Jason Kidd and Steve Nash. Unless he is given the ball in position to do something with it, don’t count on him getting the bucket. When has anyone really thought that throwing Shawn Marion the ball and just letting him go would be a good idea? How many times does Phoenix really look to go to Marion in clutch situations? How would Wade, Marion and Davis co-exist offensively? And with no inside threat and no perimeter shooters, it would make things mighty hard for Marion to score. Especially without an elite point guard looking to set him up. Marion, as good as he is, lives on dunks, layups, easy buckets and open threes. I don’t see him with too many midrange shots or pullup jumpers. In Miami, teams would be able to focus on Marion as he is no longer surrounded by Nash, Amare, Barbosa, Bell. Instead replaced by Jason Williams, Ricky Davis..dear lord I don’t even know everyone on the team anymore.
So after looking at it deeper…what do you think? Me personnally, I still am pretty conflicted. if this rumor came out in the off-season I would definitely say thumbs up for Phoenix and thumbs down for Miami. Now, I’m not sure it really makes sense. I could see why Phoenix would do it but then again I wonder why? But then again I’m not sure it doesn’t make sense. There are far too many question marks and risks acquiring Shaq. But then again there are rewards. Of course they could work out but then again they couldn’t. If
you’re Phoenix, you’re 34-14. Do you take this leap??
Only time will tell.