I think I speak for all NBA fans when on Tuesday night I said...."WHAT?!?! Marion and Banks for Shaq?? Why on earth would the Suns do that? Has to be a rumor."
Sure enough, the Big Aristotle is on his way to Phoenix, and Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks are headed to Miami. The Suns have traded 29 year old PF who has average 18 and 10 over his career, for a 35 yeard old, 325 pound center who has seen his PPG and RPG drop each of the last 3 years. As a longtime Shaq fan, I'm thrilled with this trade because the Daddy will get a chance for a 5th ring. But from the Suns standpoint, regardless of whether or not you like the guy, you can't trade superstar in his prime for a legend on the steep decline. Shaq is all-time great, but to call him a mere shadow of his former self might be giving him too much credit. He's slow, he's out of shape and hes owed 30 million dollars over the next year and a half. Since the Suns sell out consistently, the 'he'll put asses in the seats' defense doesn't work here. Unless the Suns ownership recently developed a personal vendetta against UNLV grads, this trade makes no sense from the Suns' standpoint. The Heat however, will have a solid combination between Wade and Marion for the next few years, and if some pieces can be put around them, will once again turn into an Eastern Conference contender.
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I thought the same thing, but consider this:
1) Think of what happened to the similarly skilled Kenyon Martin after he went away from playing with Jason Kidd. He was still pretty good, even before he was hurt, but he wasn't making any All-Star teams.
2) Marion makes his debut tonight with a nice 14-14-3-3. However, SOMEBODY has to pick up stats besides Wade on that team. Granted, Marion is a good player with serious skills, but I don't think he's putting up numbers in Miami like he did in Phoenix.
3) Marion will opt out of his contract and Phoenix doesn't have the money to pay him. Phoenix couldn't get over the hump with him and needed to add height and a presence in the middle. Marion doesn't have a real post-up game. O'Neal is under contract for this season and next season and possibly (can't remember atm) the season afterward. Even though he's 36, and he's not the player he once was, Phoenix needs to win now. After Gasol was traded to LAL (the move Phoenix SHOULD HAVE MADE), Shaq was among the best options (Jermaine O'Neal would've been a better option for the price).
This trade still sucks for Phoenix, but there was a justification. It's worse than the move Memphis made, but it's not all-time bad. If Phoenix wins it all and Shaq has a big playoffs, Steve Kerr looks like a genius. Don't rule that out.
Anyway, Marbury's out for the year and I don't feel guilty for my schadenfreude. If the Knicks are smart, they find a way to get Kyle Lowry on the team without giving up Lee or Balkman (Nate Robinson, an expiring Malik Rose and a second round pick, anyone?)
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