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I wish.
http://www.dallasbasketball.com/fullColumn.php?id=1281
A Logical Proposal To Trade Josh For Shaq
With The Suns 'Splintering,' A Deal To Energize Phoenix And Mavs
By David Lord -- DB.com
“What would you do if you were the Mavs?’’ I’m often asked. “Who would you target? What would be your plan?’’ And up until now, I’ve usually bailed on answering, because I didn't see a) obvious targets that b) might be available where c) the Mavs could offer a win-win trade and d) get where they want to go.
But now I do.
Rumblings from the NBA's grapevine have given me an answer so I can give you an answer. One I really like, in fact.
It involves the Mavs trading for Shaquille O’Neal.
This is DallasBasketball.com Law, and let’s put down this groundwork first: We always differentiate between trade notions that we present that are the result of conversations with the Mavs and other teams, and trade notions that are of our own creation. This is the latter. And, of course, our body or work speaks for itself in regard to creating our own notions that actually make sense according to the CBA and the like.
Having said that. …
There is talk from the desert that the Suns might be thinking of changing course again. Their self-admitted problem is that the mix of Shaq and Amare hasn't been good for either Amare or Nash. It seems clear (and logical) that the Suns long-term preference is to keep Nash and build around the younger Amare (26) rather than continue to rely on O’Neal as a future foundation piece.
“We are splintering,’’ says team leader Steve Nash, adding that he thinks it’s “50-50’’ whether Phoenix management will break up its team.
If that's true, could Shaq possibly be available in trade? It would seem so. It would seem “50-50’’ so. What other intelligent way would there be for that franchise to restructure itself?
Given his high salary and age, the Suns might have a tough time finding teams with the right mix of contracts and talent to make an attractive trade match. But if I'm Mavs owner Mark Cuban, the Big Cactus (who will have to come up with yet another nickname) goes right to the top of my target list. And I may have just what the Suns want.
Can the Mavs make a deal that fits the trade rules? Absolutely. The deal that makes the most sense to me would be to offer Josh Howard, with Jerry Stackhouse's contract as filler, and get back Shaq and reserve wing Matt Barnes. No picks. No cash. A simple two-for-two.
Wouldn't the Suns want more? Won't the Mavs have to add in some younger players? While the Mavs could certainly do that, I'm not sure the Suns would want it. The more players you send means the more salary they'll be getting back. That’s not owner Robert Sarver’s bag.
What's in it for Dallas? The Mavs' need for interior offense would be addressed.(Yay! Easy baskets!) Shaq’s ability as a game-changing defender (at least in spurts) would be welcomed. Barnes would help fill the hole left by the departure of Howard, and he would also fill that “energy gap’’ that is being discussed in-house as a Mavs need. And I think overall, that need for additional scoring would be met by the two acquisitions. In fact, Shaq -- who is playing 31 minutes per and pulling down nine rebounds per -- is also averaging 18 ppg. Isn't that the target number for what Dallas wants of Josh to be its "second scorer''?
For that matter, the addition of Shaq would fill the energy/excitement gap as well.
A starting lineup led by Dirk, Kidd and Shaq? Compelling.
Bethlehem Shoals notes accurately that O'Neal is on his "last hurrah.'' But could is just be his second-to-last hurrah?
What's in it for Phoenix? They immediately can return to the free-flowing offense that is more natural for their two main talents (Amare and Nash), and Josh can help fill the role of defender/shooter/rebounder that Shawn Marion excelled in.
But there's another benefit to the Suns that may make them even more eager to do this deal. This trade would IMMEDIATELY lower the Suns' team salary by almost $5M, which would put them below the tax threshold. That would not only save them some payroll but would also save them an additional $5M in tax they otherwise would have been forced to pay, plus it would qualify them for a share of the league welfare that goes to the tax-free teams (this year probably $2-3M). In addition, the Suns' team salary for 2009-10 would be reduced by about $10M, which would take them from tax payer to tax free in that year as well.
The Suns get younger and faster and they save money. The Mavs get value for what we at DB.com have termed Josh’s “60-cents-on-the-dollar’’ situation and they yet another “home-run swing’’ in the KIDDIRK Era.
And the Mavs get something else.
The one final issue that needs to be addressed – and one that looms as the most important thing this side of immediate championship contention -- is the summer of 2010. How would this deal impact the prospects of both teams in regards to their options that year? It wouldn't. None of the contracts carry any team obligations past June of 2010.
I wish.
even though i cant stand shaq, i would do that in a heartbeat if possible
"Just what they need" (?)
Where's the perimeter D? He'd be enough to let Dirk roam how he wants, though.
wow. this is kinda of scary. at least on the Mavs side. if they could make the trade and get in as the 8th seed...
-Mars
This is all just hypothetical stuff, the writer even says there's no basis to believe this trade is actually being discussed.
And I doubt Phoenix is dumb enough to do this trade.
How dumb were the Mavs to go after Kidd instead of Shaq?
They were dumb to not trade for him 5 years ago when they had the chance.
Shaq is absolutely, 100%, not being traded.
Why would the Suns trade their best player? We already have a lazy piece of on our team, why would we want another?
Horrible trade idea. Now, Dirk for Amare + filler, and then we'll talk.
Amare + J-Rich for Dirk, I'd do that.
Nash? Or Amare?
Shaq?
Amare + Richardson or Nash + filler, then we'll talk... just Amare + Filler absolutely isn't enough for Dirk.
Nash + filler for Dirk? No freakin way.
There's nobody on the Suns good enough AND young enough for it to be a Them + filler for Dirk trade. Phoenix would have to give up two players of significance.
Amare/J-Rich for Dirk/Stack works, and I'd do that. Anything less than this and Phoenix, or any other team, can piss off.
If you really want Dirk, hand Dallas a bottle of anal lube and prepare to be raped.
Revisionist history.
I meant it as Amare + either Richardson or Nash, + another filler.
Funny how quick the cheerleaders will toss out the same old lies to defend every significant failure of the past.
ah okay. yeah that works. I'd rather have J-Rich than Nash tho.
Look bro, we had a 2 year window. In 05-06 the Cheat hit a bunch of fluky bull jumpers and the refs ed us up the ass and in 06-07 scrubs like Barnes and Davis suddenly learned how to play basketball and tossed up garbage fluky bull jumpers that somehow went in.
2-3 year windows, that's just the nature of the NBA.
So yes, it is revionist history to say we should've traded for Shaq, who doesn't guarantee a le especially if you pair Dirk with Kobe.
Do you know what revisionist history means?
The phrase you were looking for is "hindsight is 20/20"
Touche, I'm an idiot!
But still, HINDSIGHT IS 20/20. Screw Matt Barnes and his fluky bull jumpers.
SpursDynasty? or should I say MavsDynasty?
Hypothetically, would you guys do:
Amare/JRich for Dirk/Bass
Kidd
JRich
Howard
Amare
Dampier
Nash
Barbosa
Hill
Dirk
Shaq
Not even sure if I would do that trade, but it's interesting to look at.
Mavs would be stupid to do it. Suns would be stupid not to do it.
Throw in some first rounders and I'd be a little bit interested. But like I said, IMO giving up Dirk should mean getting an almost unfairly large assload in return. If someone really wants Dirk, they're gonna have to take it in the shorts for him, and I doubt Phoenix, being in kinda the same boat as Dallas, really wants to do that.
Any trade involving Dirk fot Amare is dumb.
I enjoy the anti-Amare backlash happening this season, cuz the guy is a major ....but let's not let that cloud reasonable thinking. Amare playing at his best is close to unstoppable on offense.
Is he as good as Dirk, no, not even close. But he's still a damn good player and half a decade younger, and he's got the athleticism to be, in theory, an elite rebounder and solid defender (something Dirk can't be even with maximum effort on D).
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