Thoughts on Phoenix/Miami Trade

The Marion Part of the Deal
I have plenty to say about this deal, some of which I have already stated, but let me sum it all up into one post and hopefully my thoughts can be clear and precise to all. The first thing of the deal, is that it will be called the "Shaq trade," but don't under estimate the quality of player that Shawn Marion is.

On that note, I will start off with Marion and Banks. First, let's get Banks out of the way. He's a quality player, nothing special, but I feel that he could do well in Miami, he's better than any of the point guards that they already have in my honest opinion. Jason Williams is a pretty good player, but he's now an injury waiting to happen. Banks is younger, quicker and has a pretty decent skill set.

The bigger end of this deal is of course, Marion. Marion is a four-time NBA All-Star, a snub every year for All-Defensive Teams and a player who has gone underrated and under appreciated for a long time. He made many of his feelings very clear this summer and it was obviously bothering him. This year, he has played well, but his scoring is down into the 15 ppg range. He felt unappreciated and lost in the popularity and press of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. He still showed up to camp, and has played all season, despite his request. Well now, his wish was granted. He's out of Phoenix. He will get many more looks on offense in Miami, and he's now on the worst team in the league. He does improve them though, he's very athletic and a very complete player, except his offensive arsenal is a bit limited.

If Marion doesn't want to stay in Miami, he has the opportunity to opt out of his contract after this season, and that is expected. Phoenix also didn't want to commit to him long term, and he was offended by that. He wants big money, he wants a major pay day. Will Miami be the team to give it? I honestly don't know, but that can play out come summer. Phoenix was going to lose Marion, whether they liked it or not, maybe more reason for them to ship Marion for O'Neal.

Marion's numbers will go up, mainly his points, his rebounds are fairly on par. Now, Shaq could be the answer for Phoenix, but maybe losing Marion will wind up to hurt the Suns, I wouldn't be surprised if this happen, and I know Marion hopes for it. He never had plays run for him, he spent nearly nine seasons in Phoenix and before Nash showed up, he was still getting his near 20 points per game and 12 rebounds--so when I hear people say that Nash made Marion who he is, I want to smack someone, that's silly. Marion was there and doing his thing, well before that. He was also (besides Raja Bell) the only person on that team that would play a lick of defense, but I guess D'Antoni doesn't want that (the pure death of that team as we know it).

I have a feeling Marion won't be in Miami to start the 2008-09 NBA Season, I have a feeling someone else is going to throw about $70-85 million for him, and he's definitely going to take it--the question is--who is that team? Before I jump to conclusions, let's see how he meshes with Wade and those other guys in Miami first.


The Shaq Part of the Deal
Okay, so Shaquille O'Neal has now joined his fourth NBA team. He's arrived in another warm climate and he's joined a team who has been on the verge of the NBA Finals the past few seasons. Shaq has taken every team he's been on to the NBA Finals (Orlando was the only team he never won the title with).

In my eyes, O'Neal is the third best player in NBA History (I know many hate that statement, but I can back it up and I think Shaq has for the last 15 years). Shaq had a rocky departure out of LA and now comes this shocking and very surprising venture out of Miami. I think it's wrong, I think it's a classless move by the Heat organization. I think Shaq has been open to this idea publicly, but I know inside, he has to be fairly upset.

Now I know, Shaq and Riley have clashed and rightfully so. Shaq is not the reason the Miami Heat suck, it's Riley. Riley lost 15 games in a row with that team! If Phil Jackson coached an NBA team and his best players were Shaquille O'Neal and Dwayne Wade and both of them were injury plagued--there would still be absolutely no way in hell that Phil would lost 15 STRAIGHT GAMES!!! On top of that, Riley runs that team and has made some awful management moves. Trading for Ricky Davis? Signing Smush Parker? Letting guys like Eddie Jones, Jason Kapono, James Posey and others just leave. Riley blew this team to the ground and what bothers me, is by trading Shaq it sends the message that he was the reason, "let's just rid ourselves of Shaq, he was the problem." That's what this looks like to me. Riley publicly defended O'Neal, said he wouldn't be traded and then came out saying that with all Shaq has done for the league, he should be added to the All-Star team. Now, less than a week after all of this---he trades O'Neal. It sickens me. Even if O'Neal is okay with this deal, which he is now on a better team, it still is kind of shady by the Heat.

O'Neal made the Heat champions. He showed up in 2004 and the moment he got there, Miami changed. The city had a new life, the Heat had a new life, they became the team to watch, the place to be--and in two years, they became Champions. Shaq showed up and turned Dwayne Wade into a superstar (just like he did with Penny Hardaway and Kobe Bryant). Shaq made everyone around him better, even on his decline. In the playoffs he came to play, and he completely turned the Heat around. He did so much for the city and the state of Florida as well, and honestly, I think it's just garbage that they trade him like that.

Let's face it, this move saves the Heat tons of money, especially if they don't resign Marion either. They got rid of the $40 Million owed to Shaq over the next two seasons, and this deal makes tons of sense, but I've made my points clear, I still think it's wrong. If the Miami Heat want to improve their franchise and make their team better, then they should have fired Pat Riley, the guy has ruined the team in less than two years after winning a title and he obviously has no ability to coach anymore (I won't even talk about the Stan Van Gundy firing that Riley used to make himself look good--yes, Van Gundy could have coached Miami to a title that year).

Shaq Joining the Suns
The Suns have had pretty much the same team for the last two or three seasons, give or take some pieces. Point being, no matter the changes they made and keeping the core intact, they couldn't even make it to the Finals, let alone win a title. Everyone tries to say the Suns are going to regret making this trade, and I think that is stupid.

Marion is great, but they were going to lose him via free agency, for nothing. They get Shaq, a bad contract and a declining player. Though, they still get Shaq. Shaq will continue to fill that arena, sell tickets and he brings more hype to their team. He changes the dynamic, he has people excited and if he can be healthy for the playoffs, he gives them a real shot at a title.

The Lakers made a huge deal, they changed the West last week. The Suns have now fired back. Shaq still can't be guarded, even if he is only putting up 14 ppg and 8 rpg (look at other centers around the league people, there aren't many with better numbers than that). Those numbers are better than Obertos of the Spurs, Dampier of the Mavs and similar to Bynum's (though Bynum is starting to eclipse that fairly well). Shaq can't be guarded by any of those guys realistically. This trade also should fire up Shaq to kick it into a new gear and help Steve Nash win his first title. I really think that he can help them climb that mountain.

Can he run with them? No.
Did their running style get them to the Finals? No.

They don't need to completely change it, but the new dynamic, may help.

This whole thing is exciting to me, this changes the West even more. Right now, nobody can honestly pick on team to come out of the West, it's going to be crazy all the way to the finish. I think it's a five team race, and MAYBE a six team race.

I don't think New Orleans is fully ready, but I know that Utah is and they've really got it together the past few weeks. The other four are Dallas (IF THEY GET KIDD), San Antonio, the Lakers and the Suns.

Shaq has found success wherever he goes. He will probably be rejuvenated going to Phoenix.

The last point that I want to make is that, for those saying this is a bad deal. Figure that Steve Nash has really two good years left in him (and two years left on that contract), his window to win a title is now. With Marion, Stoudemire and himself--the Suns weren't getting it done. There is no reason why not to take this final chance and shake things up. The Suns have Shaq for two years, along with Nash--it gives them this one last shot to make a push with The Big Aristotle.

I think Steve Kerr showed some guts and tenacity with this move, and people can say it doesn't make sense all they want, but to me, Shaq always makes sense--never count the big fella' out.