Shaq trade just wouldn't add up for Suns
By John Hollinger
ESPN Insider
Updated: February 6, 2008
The Phoenix Suns have the best record in the Western Conference, a game and a half ahead of their closest rival. They have the best scoring margin in the conference, and the best offensive efficiency in the NBA. They're 8-2 in their past 10 games (while outscoring opponents by nine points per game). And the Suns have a slew of home games coming up because their early schedule was so road-heavy.
In other words, after 48 games they're in as good a position as they've ever been in to win their first conference title since Sir Charles and KJ did it 15 years ago.
And their solution? Blow it up!
The Suns are reportedly in negotiations to trade Shawn Marion -- a man everyone agrees is a vital cog in their attack because of his ability to run opponents into submission from the power forward spot -- for Shaquille O'Neal. (The Suns would include Marcus Banks.)
Good call. Clearly this Nash-Marion-Stoudamire nucleus isn't working out; they've won only 62 and 61 games the two years they were together. This year they were on pace for a meager 58, so I guess they thought it had run its course.
My first reaction to hearing reports about this deal was that I was being Punk'd. After that, I checked the calendar to make sure it wasn't April 1, and verified that the voice on the other end of the phone didn't belong to Orson Welles.
But there was no Ashton Kutcher, no Orson Welles, and the calendar says it's February.
Believe it or not, this is a real, live trade discussion that might actually happen. I'm not sure I've adequately conveyed my shock at this development, but suffice it to say nobody I've talked to finds it even remotely sensible.
Shaq may be the one player who is least capable of thriving in the Suns' system. Run the break? No, thank you. Set a high screen and dive to the cup? Maybe 10 years ago. Space the floor for 3s? Please.
He's 35 and out of shape; at the moment he's also hurt. Even when healthy, he's had difficulty staying out of foul trouble long enough to make an impact. While I'll grant that Shaq can still be an offensive force -- even with his struggles this year his PER is a very solid 18.17 -- he's toasted regularly on defense. And if you thought Marion complained about not getting shots, you ain't heard nothing yet.
Even if you subscribe to the idea that Marion had to go -- there have been mutterings about his attitude for quite a while -- you can't seriously tell me this was the best deal on the table.
While matching his $17 million contract is difficult, the fact that there's only a year and a half left on it means there are partners out there. Just thinking out loud, for instance, you'd think New Jersey would have taken Marion in a heartbeat for Vince Carter or Richard Jefferson, and the Andrei Kirilenko deal that was so heavily discussed before the season also would seem preferable.
Marion, by the way, hadn't let his dissatisfaction and his own offseason trade demand affect his play. His 20.25 PER nearly matches last year's 20.87, and he's made up for a reduction in shots by cutting his turnovers and increasing his assists.
But despite his performance they're trading him for an older, less effective player, and one who could not be more of a square peg in a round hole in their system.
And get this -- the deal will worsen their cap situation, too. Shaq is on the books for two years after this one at $20 million a pop, whereas Marion only has one year left at less money, and may opt out after this season. So in addition to messing up their own team, the Suns will be basically handing Pat Riley a big fat Get Out of Jail Free card.
In short, this deal feels like one of these movie scenes where the lead character has a plan and says, "It's crazy ... but it just might work!"
I'm not sure about the working part, but it's definitely crazy. I'm praying this trade doesn't really happen, because the Suns have been too entertaining for too long to screw up their title chances like this.
John Hollinger writes for ESPN Insider. To e-mail him, click here.
