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If the Suns really do this, it makes no sense to keep Mike D'Antoni around even one more day.
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said on his weekly radio show on Sports 620 KTAR in Phoenix Tuesday night that the story caught him by surprise.
"The trade deadline's coming up so I'm sure there's talk all over the place," he said. "In our day and age now, you make one of those phone calls or answer a phone call everybody in the world knows about it. Other than normal business, I don't know anything that's going on."
Asked if any deal was close, D'Antoni said, "No, no, no."
Marion asked to be traded before the season began but has avoided talk of the subject since then. He is set to make $17 million next season, the final year of his contract, but can opt out of the deal and become a free agent.
Suns owner Robert Sarver said two weeks ago that none of the core players would be traded this season.
Neither Sarver nor Phoenix general manager Steve Kerr returned messages left on their cell phones.
AP sports writer Bob Baum in Phoenix contributed to this report.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...v=ap&type=lgns
If the Suns really do this, it makes no sense to keep Mike D'Antoni around even one more day.
If this goes through, the Suns just got worseNo run and gun with old ass Shaq there.
You could say the same if the Suns didn't do the trade either though.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...llum/index.html
Worth the risk?
Suns appear willing to take chance on aging O'Neal
One of the last players in the NBA who would seem to fit the run-and-gun style of the Phoenix Suns would be Shaquille O'Neal. Even in his prime, the Miami Heat center, who turns 36 on March 6, was no sprinter, and these are far from his best days.
But sources confirmed that the Miami Herald story about ongoing trade talks between the Suns and the Heat are accurate. No decision has been reached, but in the most likely scenario, O'Neal would be dealt for forward Shawn Marion and backup point guard Marcus Banks.
The money would work under the salary cap. Shaq makes $20 million this season, a figure close to the combined salaries of Marion ($16.4 million this season) and Banks ($3.9 million). A source close to the negotiations said that the Suns are concerned about the final year of Shaq's contract, but that it is not necessarily a deal-breaker (O'Neal is on the books for $20 million in the 2008-09 and '09-10 seasons). Also, Miami probably would want Marion to give his OK, because he can opt out of his contract after the season; the four-time All-Star squelched a potential deal with the Celtics before the season by saying he would opt out.
Sources say that the initial calls were made by Miami and that relations between Shaq and coach Pat Riley have become strained; that is not surprising with two compe ive old hands trying to muddle through a campaign that has become downright embarrassing. The Heat are 9-37, including 19 losses in their last 20 games. Shaq has played in only 32 games, and he's currently inactive because of recurring pain in his hip and leg. He's missed an average of 20 games over the past six seasons with a variety of injuries.
Stylistically, there would be some changes in Phoenix and in Miami. Losing Banks, who has never caught on with Suns coach Mike D'Antoni, would be no big deal for Phoenix. But Marion defines the essence of the Suns: a fast-moving, athletic player who is also the most versatile defender on a team not known for defense. Those are qualities desperately needed in Miami.
How would Shaq fit in with the Suns' running offense? Not at all. But as the Suns see it, they seldom run a five-man fast break, and Shaq would be the in-bounder. In the half-court, the high pick-and-rolls run by Steve Nash and current center Amaré Stoudemire would be more effective with a Shaq duck-in always available as an option. Plus, though he is averaging a career-low 14.2 points when he does play, Shaq still commands a double team, which leaves things more open for perimeter shooters such as Nash, Raja Bell, Grant Hill, Leandro Barbosa and even Stoudemire. Finally, as increasingly immobile as he might be, Shaq would be able to defend against the bigger frontcourt players (such as San Antonio's Tim Duncan and new Laker Pau Gasol), a weakness of Stoudemire's.
This would be a big move for the Suns, who not only sell themselves as a get-up-and-go offensive team but also stood at a West-leading 34-14 as of Tuesday. It would be a risky move to take on a center with declining athleticism, even one bound for the Hall of Fame. But they are strongly mulling that very possibility.
"Let's go! C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, let's go, let's go! C'mon, let's go!"
"WTF? Slow your roll, dude."
As soon as I saw the top of Dantoni's head while I was scrolling, and it was next to SB's name, I knew what would follow!
High entertainment value, if this trade happens!
Suns, Heat agree to Shaq trade
By Johnny Ludden, Yahoo! Sports
February 5, 2008
Johnny Ludden
Yahoo! Sports
No longer confident they can win a championship with their current roster, the Phoenix Suns have agreed to a blockbuster trade that will bring them Shaquille O'Neal, pending results of a physical, a source with knowledge of the negotiations said Tuesday.
O'Neal will travel to Phoenix aboard a private plane, the source said, to undergo an MRI on his ailing left hip Wednesday. If he passes the physical, the Suns will complete the trade by sending Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Miami Heat.
The Miami Herald first reported the Suns and Heat were in serious discussions regarding the trade.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...yhoo&type=lgns
ESPN just said the trade is gonna happen.
This season is so bat crazy.
I can't believe this. The entire league has been turned upside down.
I have no idea what to think of this. Obviously a great deal for Miami, whether they can resign Marion or not. But who knows with Shaq? He's not as explosive as he once was and he's injury-prone, but he might step up his play and be motivated playing for an elite team again.
Glad the NBA found ways to amuse us all during the down time between the Super Bowl and the NCAA tournament.
Is this a panic move on the part of the Suns to counter the Lakers?
Maybe Bowen can trip Shaq in transition and Shaq will fall on Grant Hill in the process.
LOL, this is going to be great! Shaq getting winded in the 1st Q.
OMG..i hope the suns trade marion for Shaq...its gonna be 4vs5 ball the whole time Shaq is in.
Either that or him being motivated and making life easier for Amare and their shooters. I can see this blowing up in Phoenix's face or them striking gold. All depends on Shaq's health and motivation...he's probably going to be more effective with Steve Nash as his PG than the messed-up situation in Miami. Same way Tyson Chandler looks like a completely different player being fed by Chris Paul instead of Kirk Hinrich.
ya think
were are all the suns fans to praise this deal.....they must not like it
Marion sucking ass this year probably forced their hands too. He's all about energy, and he hasn't been providing that. The more I think about this trade for the Suns, the more I like it for them, but they've pretty much made their bed for this year and this year alone. If they don't win it this year, they never will.
I was so caught up with Super Tuesday that I completely missed this story.
Anyways, I like it. It was clear that this team wasn't going to win the le with this nucleus. We were getting raped with an undersized PF at center, with no toughness, or championship experience. Shaq fixes all of those problems. I mean we're talking about a top ten player of all time here folks, I think that he's going to respond to being disrespected and questioned so much that he's going to rebound. At least management had some balls.
Seriously, the more I think of this, the more I like it for the Suns....
Shaq
Amare
Hill
Tinker Bell
Nash
Off the bench:
Barbosa
Skinner
The Polish Rifle
not much else....but if Shaq's healthy he could provide them with at least a clog in the lane. Still no match for the Lakers.
No guarantee that Shaq passes his physical.
OH F-CK!! ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree that Shaq may bring some balance and defense to their lineup, but this is the damn Suns we are talking about. To accomodate Shaq they are gonna need to change their entire offensive philosophy. This trade makes absolutely no sense unless they plan on firing Dantoni ASAP.
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