Shaq headed to the Suns?

[Mavs Man]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_y...j3ObA5nYcB?slug=txheatoneal&prov=st&type=lgns

Heat shopping O'Neal in a trade

February 5, 2008

MIAMI (TICKER) -- Shaquille O'Neal and the Miami Heat may be parting ways, according to a published report on Tuesday.

The Heat told representatives for the future Hall of Fame center that they are talking about trading him, and he should be prepared for the possibility of a deal, the Miami Herald reported.

The newspaper said that the Heat have dicussed sending O'Neal to the Phoenix Suns for forward Shawn Marion and point guard Marcus Banks.

O'Neal has been made aware that discussions with the Suns are serious and ongoing, but that a deal was not definite, according to the report.

The Dallas Mavericks also reportedly have been mentioned as a potential destination - though the Heat had not immediately informed O'Neal of that possibility.

Miami has struggled since O'Neal - who was shocked at the turn of events, according to the newspaper - led it to the championship in 2006, two seasons after his trade from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Last season ended with a first-round playoff sweep against the Chicago Bulls for the Heat, who are a league-worst 9-37 halfway through this campaign.

Trading O'Neal, who has been out the last six games with a hip injury and played in just 32 contests this seasons, would accelerate the rebuilding effort Miami is likely to undergo.

The 11-time All-Star has two years left on his contract after this season and is scheduled to make $20 million in each of the next two seasons.

The 29-year-old Marion, who can opt out of the last year of his contract worth $17.1 million after this season, is a four-time All-Star and considered one of the NBA's most athletic forwards. The 6-7 Marion has averaged 15.8 points and 9.9 rebounds this season for Phoenix.

If Marion opts out, trading O'Neal would give the Heat substantial salary cap space this offseason, when potential free agents include Gilbert Arenas, Baron Davis, Elton Brand, Antawn Jamison, Ron Artest and Corey Maggette, according to the paper.

Banks, 26, has averaged 5.2 points and 1.0 assist as a backup to Suns superstar point guard Steve Nash. After this season, he has three years left on his contract worth a total of $13.4 million.

 

[MC KAos]

this trade makes no sense for phoenix, but i think its a good trade for the heat just to get rid of his ridiculously overpayed contract

 

[Danny White]

Gawd I hope the Suns make this trade. It would totally throw off the chemistry of that team.

It would slow them down tremendously. It takes Amare out of the paint.

It doesn't make any sense at all.

 

[thekavorka]

according to ric bucher (take it with a grain of salt), the trade is becoming more and more likely.

the suns management are so stupid. this is like the worst trade for them

 

[Danny White]

Sources: Suns a 'yes' away from acquiring Shaq for Marion

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
(Archive)

Updated: February 6, 2008, 12:39 AM ET

The seemingly improbable pairing of an aging Shaquille O'Neal and the run-and-gun Phoenix Suns is a "yes" from the Suns away from happening, according to NBA front-office sources.

Sources told ESPN.com on Tuesday night that the Miami Heat are poised to send O'Neal to the Suns in exchange for All-Star forward Shawn Marion and out-of-favor guard Marcus Banks. Miami is just waiting for Phoenix management to either accept or reject what would rank as one of the most unexpected trades in league history.

"It looks like it's going to happen," said one source close to the situation. "We should know for sure by tomorrow."

Another sign that the deal is imminent: ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher reported Tuesday night on SportsCenter that O'Neal is scheduled to travel to Phoenix on Wednesday, presumably to take a physical.

The Arizona Republic, also reported that a deal could be imminent and that O'Neal had contacted some Suns players Tuesday night.

The Miami Herald first reported on its Web site Tuesday night that the Heat have informed O'Neal that they are shopping him and that talks with the Suns were serious.

That apparently surprised O'Neal, but also pleased him. Sources say that the 35-year-old -- in the midst of his least productive season and with the Heat cratering from a championship in 2006 to a 9-37 record less than two years later -- is eager to leave Miami and his deteriorating relationship with Heat coach Pat Riley. The Associated Press, furthermore, quoted an O'Neal associate Tuesday night as saying, "Shaq thinks something will happen."

As for Marion, Bucher reports that the 29-year-old is in favor of the proposed deal and quotes a source close to Marion as saying there's a "good" chance that the trade would happen.

Making a move for O'Neal appears on the surface to make little basketball or financial sense for the Suns. His arrival in Phoenix would undoubtedly prompt widespread skepticism about his ability to keep up in the Suns' high-octane system. The two years and $40 million remaining on O'Neal's contract after this season also clashes with the Suns' recent pattern of trading away players (such as Kurt Thomas) and draft picks in an attempt to reduce payroll and eventually drag themselves away from the NBA luxury-tax line of $67.875 million.

The Suns, though, have been plagued by well-chronicled concerns about their chemistry for well over a year, generally focusing on the occasional dissatisfaction voiced behind the scenes by either Marion or Amare Stoudemire. In the locker room as well as the front office, sources say, there are factions that have believed for some time that one of them would eventually have to be traded.

Going through with the deal, then, would suggest that the Suns believe that they can immediately improve their chemistry with this change. The Suns would also be banking on the idea that the trade would give them the injection of size they've lacked since Steve Nash was reacquired as a free agent to play for coach Mike D'Antoni. Phoenix would also hope to rejuvenate O'Neal after a season in which his effectiveness and durability have been doubted louder than ever.

Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said on his weekly radio show on Sports 620 KTAR in Phoenix on 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."

O'Neal has missed Miami's last six games with a sore left hip and did not speak to reporters after Tuesday's practice. Riley said earlier Tuesday that O'Neal will undergo an MRI.

''We just want to back it up and see, after two weeks, what it shows,'' Riley said.

O'Neal helped Miami overturn a 2-0 deficit against Dallas in the 2006 NBA Finals but is averaging a career-low 14.2 points and 7.8 rebounds in 32 games this season.

Bucher reported on ESPN2's "NBA Coast to Coast" last week that the Heat were indeed shopping O'Neal, but Riley issued a strong denial in response.

"I'm done talking about rumors and reports," Riley said. "But, no, there's no truth to that."

Said O'Neal last Friday: "[Riley] hasn't spoken to me. He hasn't talked about it. I've been in the league 15 years. I've seen it all, been through it all. I've just got to sit back."

Marion asked to be traded before the season began but has generally 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 after this season and become a free agent.

Suns owner Robert Sarver insisted two weeks ago that none of the Suns' core players would be traded this season.

Senior writer Marc Stein covers the NBA for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

 

[ajk23az]

Its done, just pending a physical now....

stupid trade for suns, it will help them for 2 years is all..then shaq is DONE

they couldve got more out of marion than that...

 

[MC KAos]

this is a GREAT trade....for anyone who hates the suns

 

[MC KAos]

well its being reported on espn that the deal is agreed upon and that if he passes the physical and the league aproves it, hes gone

 

[thekavorka]

how many years are left on shaq's contract? the remaining of this year + 2 more right?

 

[MC KAos]

how many years are left on shaq's contract? the remaining of this year + 2 more right?

hey, at least, if nothing else, its gonna be interesting!! i wouldnt be surprised to see the heat get back in the playoff picture(seeing as you only need like 30 wins to get into the playoffs in the east)

 

[Yeagermeister]

So much for the run and gun Suns when Shaq is on the floor.

 

[DCgirl13]

As a Suns fan I don't know how to feel about the trade. We've been known to get the short end of the stick on trades anyway. After Nash is done it will be rebuilding time so I'm sure they are thinking in the now right now. If anything at least Shaq could probably get us in to the basket.

 

[Route 66]

As another fellow Suns fan, I understand all the haters out there. However Marion was probably gone at the end of the season and for what in return?

Its amazing how some here have such a disdain for my team. I guess its turning into a Skins Cowboys type of rivalry.

 

[DCgirl13]

As another fellow Suns fan, I understand all the haters out there. However Marion was probably gone at the end of the season and for what in return?

Its amazing how some here have such a disdain for my team. I guess its turning into a Skins Cowboys type of rivalry.

Yeah, I don't understand why people hate on the Suns as bad as they do. It's not like they play dirty at all and we usually get screwed on calls from the refs, not always, but usually. Even if they haven't won a championship, they are still fun to watch.

 

[Danny White]

As another fellow Suns fan, I understand all the haters out there. However Marion was probably gone at the end of the season and for what in return?

Its amazing how some here have such a disdain for my team. I guess its turning into a Skins Cowboys type of rivalry.

I don't think it's that personal. We just had a contentious playoff series last year and I think there's some residual from that. I think Suns fans hate the Spurs way worse than Spurs fans hating the Suns.

Personally, I just root against all the competitors to the crown in the West... if it's the Mavs, then I root against the Mavs... when the Suns are hot, I like to see them cool down... always root against the Lakers... but I'm sure if the Sonics or Clippers or whoever became competitive, I'd start "hating" them as well.

 

[Hostile]

I'm a Shaq fan and live in AZ so I like it. The more I get to see him and hear him, the better. Guy is funny and I think misunderstood. I'm not a Suns fan or even an NBA fan any more. I still like it.

 

[Mavs Man]

Marion was all but gone after this year, so the Suns felt like they had to deal him now or get nothing in return over the summer. Younger players or draft picks would be better in the long run, but probably don't help them get over the top. I'm not sure how much Shaq has left in the tank, but maybe he has one good run left in him.

I'm surprised the Suns made this move if only because of the salary cap ramifications. They haven't been one to pay the luxury tax either. At least now the jetisoning of draft picks and players like Kurt Thomas makes a little more sense.

 

[Kangaroo]

Still do not understand the trade unless next year the Suns are going to abandon the run gun and play no defense style they been running for years

This sounds like a changing of the guard. Please as a Sun you totally got over on ATL for Joe Johnson. Joe was not worth the contract and 3 1st round picks

 

[Mavs Man]

I liked John Hollinger's take:

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.

:laugh2:

 

[big dog cowboy]

I don't understand this trade from the Sun's position at all. Marion might have left after this year, but how is Shaq going to make them better on the floor? If they wanted to trade Marion, they could have done better.