Shaquille O'Neal to the Phoenix Suns?

[TFoA]

Not smart by Steve Kerr at all, I understand you wanted to get something for Shawn Marion be4 his contract was up, but not this. I would have called the Nets about Richard Jefferson or someone who fits that style. He reacted too quickly to the Lakers/Gasol deal. Suns were my choice before this deal to go to the final, now with Shaq goin to PHX. The Lakers are now my choice to come out the West.

That's what this reeks of. This was basically a reactionary trade to the Gasol trade. That was a terrific trade, and this would've been a terrific trade if this was 10 years ago. Shaq, in no way shape or form, fits this style. I can not stress enough how stupid this trade is for the Suns.

[nyk]

IT IS NOW OFFICIAL: Shaq is a Sun.... Marion is a Heat

[BB61]

Well, that turns things on its head a little, doesn't it?

[Billy B]

Not smart by Steve Kerr at all, I understand you wanted to get something for Shawn Marion be4 his contract was up, but not this. I would have called the Nets about Richard Jefferson or someone who fits that style. He reacted too quickly to the Lakers/Gasol deal. Suns were my choice before this deal to go to the final, now with Shaq goin to PHX. The Lakers are now my choice to come out the West.

That's what this reeks of. This was basically a reactionary trade to the Gasol trade. That was a terrific trade, and this would've been a terrific trade if this was 10 years ago. Shaq, in no way shape or form, fits this style. I can not stress enough how stupid this trade is for the Suns.

I fully agree with you. Shaq isn't the force that he used be, and they could have gotten more for Shawn Marion. Another bad thing about this is with Shaq's age he probably won't be able to get up the court and play the fast paced game with the Suns.

[gingerbreadmann]

Worst. Trade. Ever.

Sounds like something Danny Ainge would do, even though he seems to have come back this offseason.

[Starchild]

I don't get it.

I think everyone and their mother have hit the nail on the head with the arguments against Phoenix making the deal. I'm glad Kerr, with his plethora of NBA Finals experience in Chicago and San Antonio, realized this makeup of Suns will not get it done in the postseason - namely on the defensive end. So, that's a positive. But to fix that with a 2007-08 Shaquille O'Neal is mind boggling. If it were 2001-02 Shaq, okay. I'd say that version of Shaq could keep up here and there. But right now, what's the point? When he is healthy, he'll be in the game 3 minutes before they have to take him out. It's like conceding to play 5-on-4 on the offensive end every trip down, and essentially play 5-on-4 defensively (unless up against a big center like Duncan, Yao, etc.) which the Suns already cannot afford because they're such a poor defensive club already. The only scenario where this makes sense is in certain playoff situations where the game becomes a half-court set and slowed down... then Shaq can go to work, sort of. But how often, even in the postseason, will that occur? As many times as San Antonio or Dallas will slow the game down, both teams are capable of running-and-gunning, once again negating Shaq's already minimal impact. On top of it, he's owed $40 million over the next two seasons while they're trying to SAVE money?

I believe Stone Cold Steve Austin said it best.... WHAT!?!

As for the Miami Heat, putting aside my hatred a bit for that organization, I'm still up-and-down about it. On the one hand, I think it's a total scumbag move to just ship Shaquille O'Neal out of there after the man brought you an NBA championship... as if it's his fault the Heat suck. News flash, even with Shawn Marion, the Heat will still be a poor team. That is just a poorly constructed basketball team outside of Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem (shades of the Oak-Man in him). On the flip side, the move makes sense. No.1, you remove his contract for Marion's who can opt-out and come off the books this season, thus providing further cap relief. And No.2, if you do resign him, a nucleus of Marion-Wade-Haslem ain't half bad. It's not going to help Miami in the short term... but if Riley can swing more deals and maybe pick up some quality FA's (no superstars since I'm sure Wade and Marion would both have max-contracts), the Heat could be formidable in another 2-3 years (again, provided they get good pieces to fit around that nucleus... i.e., not Fatoine Walker).

[Squeaks4]

I am currently watching the Suns game against the Hornets and they just showed Shaq in one of the suites and announced him to the crowd. I gotta say, the response of the crowd surprised the hell out of me. He got a fairly long standing ovation and he eventually stood up and waved to the crowd and proceeded to point to his ring finger and nod his head, which obviously got the crowd even more pumped up. I still don't like this trade at ALL, but I will just let it take it's course. Anyways, much like when he came to Miami Shaq seems to be set on getting a title here. We will see big man.

[youcan'tseeme]

I am currently watching the Suns game against the Hornets and they just showed Shaq in one of the suites and announced him to the crowd. I gotta say, the response of the crowd surprised the hell out of me. He got a fairly long standing ovation and he eventually stood up and waved to the crowd and proceeded to point to his ring finger and nod his head, which obviously got the crowd even more pumped up. I still don't like this trade at ALL, but I will just let it take it's course. Anyways, much like when he came to Miami Shaq seems to be set on getting a title here. We will see big man.

Is Marion playing?

[Squeaks4]

I am currently watching the Suns game against the Hornets and they just showed Shaq in one of the suites and announced him to the crowd. I gotta say, the response of the crowd surprised the hell out of me. He got a fairly long standing ovation and he eventually stood up and waved to the crowd and proceeded to point to his ring finger and nod his head, which obviously got the crowd even more pumped up. I still don't like this trade at ALL, but I will just let it take it's course. Anyways, much like when he came to Miami Shaq seems to be set on getting a title here. We will see big man.

Is Marion playing?

No, I would assume he is either on his way or preparing to fly out to Miami.

And beyond that, I am sure he doesn't want to be around the team anyways. One of the biggest reasons for this trade is due to the bad blood that has been brewing inside the team for a while now. Marion really ruffled a lot of feathers in the locker room.

[TFoA]

I am currently watching the Suns game against the Hornets and they just showed Shaq in one of the suites and announced him to the crowd. I gotta say, the response of the crowd surprised the hell out of me. He got a fairly long standing ovation and he eventually stood up and waved to the crowd and proceeded to point to his ring finger and nod his head, which obviously got the crowd even more pumped up. I still don't like this trade at ALL, but I will just let it take it's course. Anyways, much like when he came to Miami Shaq seems to be set on getting a title here. We will see big man.

Well of course he'd get a standing ovation...I mean, it is still Shaquille O'Neal...4-time NBA Champion, former MVP, Olympic Gold Medalist, anytime you have someone like that in the building, that's an automatic extended standing ovation.

But still, this trade is not gonna work out. It definitely won't work out for the Suns, and it might not work out for the Heat. They're still terrible.

[NJTank]

I am currently watching the Suns game against the Hornets and they just showed Shaq in one of the suites and announced him to the crowd. I gotta say, the response of the crowd surprised the hell out of me. He got a fairly long standing ovation and he eventually stood up and waved to the crowd and proceeded to point to his ring finger and nod his head, which obviously got the crowd even more pumped up. I still don't like this trade at ALL, but I will just let it take it's course. Anyways, much like when he came to Miami Shaq seems to be set on getting a title here. We will see big man.

Well of course he'd get a standing ovation...I mean, it is still Shaquille O'Neal...4-time NBA Champion, former MVP, Olympic Gold Medalist, anytime you have someone like that in the building, that's an automatic extended standing ovation.

But still, this trade is not gonna work out. It definitely won't work out for the Suns, and it might not work out for the Heat. They're still terrible.

No it will work for the Heat, Marion is a FA and the Heat will have plenty of cap room, if nothing else. With Shaq broken down he was just taking up space, now they can start rebuilding happy that he brought them at least 1 title.

[TFoA]

I get it. You're looking big picture. Yeah, I guess if this means that the Heat have given up on this year and are looking to the future, then this was a good trade. If they did this because they're trying to get back in it, this is a terrible trade because as ineffective as Shaq was for the Heat at this point, he was still one of their best defensive options in the post. That is completely gone now.

[CS85]

I imagine in a few years seeing Shaq as a Sun will be like seeing Joe Montana as a Chief.

[rams80]

I imagine in a few years seeing Shaq as a Sun will be like seeing Joe Montana as a Chief.

Nah...Montana actually contributed.

[Audiodrama]

Thought I'd check out MiamiHeat.com to see the official press release and all, and I was astonished by two glaring errors on their front page...we need to teach some spelling and grammar to these Floridians.

(And before you say, "Hey, Unwind, couldn't 'HEAT fall Pistons' mean that they beat them?' No, kids, it can't. Especially when they lost. It was supposed to say "fall to Pistons.")

[AJM]

In terms of changing the pace of the game, Shaq won't effect it too much...if the quicker guys like Nash, LB, Bell, and Hill wanna push up the court they will. Second, it will give them a low post presence. They surely don't need him for points. I just don't like this trade due to Shaq's injury and durability issues. How many games are we gonna get outta him?

[Audiodrama]

I was checking out the disparities between the Heat's '05-'06 Championship season and this dismal '07-'08 forgettable campaign, and the roster turnover is astounding, now that the O'Neal trade is complete. Only five players from their championship team remain: Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, Jason Williams, Alonzo Mourning (out for season, I think) and Dorell Wright. I'm not sure what Pat Riley is trying to do in terms of improving his team and keeping it competitive, but it seems to me that he's missed the boat on a few transacations. I realize that players age as the years go on, but he's just not getting value in the deals he's making (with the possible exception of the O'Neal/Marion/Banks deal, which is yet to be determined). Two years seems like an awfully fast turnaround for such a roster shake-up, though.

[rams80]

I was checking out the disparities between the Heat's '05-'06 Championship season and this dismal '07-'08 forgettable campaign, and the roster turnover is astounding, now that the O'Neal trade is complete. Only five players from their championship team remain: Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, Jason Williams, Alonzo Mourning (out for season, I think) and Dorell Wright. I'm not sure what Pat Riley is trying to do in terms of improving his team and keeping it competitive, but it seems to me that he's missed the boat on a few transacations. I realize that players age as the years go on, but he's just not getting value in the deals he's making (with the possible exception of the O'Neal/Marion/Banks deal, which is yet to be determined). Two years seems like an awfully fast turnaround for such a roster shake-up, though.

With the (notable) exception of Wade, wasn't that 05-06 Heat team a band of old guys anyway? The turnover, and the team's rather rapid collapse doesn't terribly surprise me.

[TFoA]

I was checking out the disparities between the Heat's '05-'06 Championship season and this dismal '07-'08 forgettable campaign, and the roster turnover is astounding, now that the O'Neal trade is complete. Only five players from their championship team remain: Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, Jason Williams, Alonzo Mourning (out for season, I think) and Dorell Wright. I'm not sure what Pat Riley is trying to do in terms of improving his team and keeping it competitive, but it seems to me that he's missed the boat on a few transacations. I realize that players age as the years go on, but he's just not getting value in the deals he's making (with the possible exception of the O'Neal/Marion/Banks deal, which is yet to be determined). Two years seems like an awfully fast turnaround for such a roster shake-up, though.

With the (notable) exception of Wade, wasn't that 05-06 Heat team a band of old guys anyway? The turnover, and the team's rather rapid collapse doesn't terribly surprise me.

Well yeah, they were old...but they were talented old guys. Seriously, that team would've been an all-star team if that was in the mid-90s...Antoine Walker, Gary Payton, Alonzo Mourning, Jason Williams, Shaq? It's amazing that they won the championship at that year at that point of their careers, knowing that if they were assembled during their prime, they would've EASILY won an NBA Title. So yeah, the difference is definitely talent. Instead of replacing the old guys with youth, they replaced them with even worse old guys. Therefore, fail.

And yeah, the Hawks-Heat replay will go on as planned, even in Shaq's absence. This still makes no sense whatsoever, Shaq is the reason why the game's being replayed, now he's not here and they still have to go on with it...WTF. I guess the only way this makes sense is if the NBA is trying to say that this is a scorekeeping matter, not a Shaq matter...but it's still stupid nonetheless.