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ESPN rADIO CONFIRMED SHAQ Got traded to the Phoenix Suns

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Phoenis Suns trade Shawn Marion, and Marcus Banks for Shaquille O'Neal.

This is arguably the worst trade of the season because Shaq is already an aging Center, and the Suns would likely acquire a hefty contract which would put them over the salary cap until the 2010-2011 NBA Season.
 
ESPN.com is saying the trade is being discussed. Are you saying it has actually gone down? I'll believe it when I see it.
 
Sources: Suns a 'yes' away from acquiring Shaq for Marion]

By Marc Stein
Updated: February 6, 2008, 12:11 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 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.

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.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3232862
 
All I know is that Shaq will end up again in a hot part of the country. I wonder how he would fit if he landed in Wisconsin, the Twin Cities, or even better Ontario...
 
That just can't be!!!! Nooooooooooo!!! SSSuuuunnnnnssss DON'T!!!!

That's a non-sense to give up one of the best players in the league for a dinosaur that can hardly move now...
 
That would be crazy!
Can you guys imagine Shaq run the floor up and down for the highspeed suns?!?
Shaq would ruin their whole philosophy and destroy their beautiful run and gun style. The Suns should've kept Kurt Thomas instead...
 
CWILL said:
That would be crazy!
Can you guys imagine Shaq run the floor up and down for the highspeed suns?!?
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Definitely not. Even though Shaq might refuse to admit it, his prime is long gone, it happens to every player, why shouldn't it happen to you Shaq? Oh yeah, the big ego :rolleyes:
The Suns will be shooting themselves in the foot if this trade happens.
 
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wardjdim said:
Steve Kerr is a genious!:)

Go Mavericks!!!
Click to expand...
:rolleyes:

It sounds like it's a done deal to me. Absolutely crazy. Ridiculous. This is a laughable move by Phoenix. Right now, they're contending for a championship in spite of Amare Stoudamire's grouchy attitude and zippo defense. If they dump Shawn Marion, who is such a great player, they're signing their own death warrants.

Maybe Phoenix will trade for Shaq and then send him to another team. I don't know how that stuff works. Or maybe they'll let him retire just to give Boris Diaw more time...
 
damelo said:
That just can't be!!!! Nooooooooooo!!! SSSuuuunnnnnssss DON'T!!!!

That's a non-sense to give up one of the best players in the league for a dinosaur that can hardly move now...
Click to expand...

i usually dont agree with a frenchman/woman...but you and I have the same thought damelo...WTF?!?!?! :confused: where the Suns thinking. Shaq cant do run and guns!?!?!?!
 
mvblair said:
aybe Phoenix will trade for Shaq and then send him to another team.
Click to expand...

That would be more reasonable than keeping him. WTF are they thinking??? :confused:
 
Wow...This is coming out of nowhere. And it's pure nonsense. What the heck are the Suns thinking? Even if their chemistry is messed up, why trade for Shaq?! A few years back nobody could stop him. Nowadays nobody can make him move. This looks like a horrible move for Phoenix.
 
uhg80 said:
Wow...This is coming out of nowhere. And it's pure nonsense. What the heck are the Suns thinking? Even if their chemistry is messed up, why trade for Shaq?! A few years back nobody could stop him. Nowadays nobody can make him move. This looks like a horrible move for Phoenix.
Click to expand...
That team is playing so beautifully, I don't see how they can have bad chemistry. It seems to me that Shaq will create more chemistry problems though, because there is no way he's going to get a whole lot of minutes, so he'll keep complaining.

Could this move be "addition by subtraction?" They're taking away Marion (who is great), but giving more opportunities to Hill and Diaw. Because Shaq can only play about 20 minutes per game, Stoudemire is going to continue as the team's center. So, they'll have a line-up of:

PG - Nash/Barbosa
SG - Bell/Barbosa
SF - Hill/Diaw
PF - Stoudemire/Diaw
C - Shaq/Skinner

That's not bad, really, but they'd be better without Shaq and with Marion.

...I just can't believe that this trade will really take place. I hope it doesn't. It'll destroy one of the teams that is most fun to watch in the whole world.
 
And mind you that Diaw is struggling a bit this year, he just hasn't been on the same level as previously.
 
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! my favorite team made a messed up decision!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :eek: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad::( :( :( :( :(
 
I think the Suns were scared into doing this by the Lakers getting Gasol. They saw that the Lakers were a major player now in the championship hunt and needed to make a move. This move kind of sounds like one of a team that is desperate. But, hey, we may all be proven wrong. Playing with Nash might actually rejuvenate Shaq and lead the Suns to a title. After all, Nash turned Boris Diaw from a non-factor into the NBA's most improved player a couple of years ago.
 
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns today acquired four-time NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal from the Miami Heat in exchange for forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks, pending completion of physical examinations by both teams.


“We’re thrilled to add a player and person of Shaquille’s quality to our roster,” President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr said. “We believe this addition strengthens our team. We thank Shawn and Marcus for their contributions to our team. Shawn in particular has been a tremendous player for this organization the past eight-and-a-half years and his impact both on and off the court in Phoenix will not be forgotten.”
In the 7-1, 325-pound O’Neal, Phoenix acquires one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players and one of the most prolific scorers in league history. O’Neal owns a career scoring average of 25.6 points, the ninth-highest in league history, and ranks 11th all-time in scoring (25,908) in 1,013 career games. The 16-year veteran is a career 58.0 percent shooter, third-highest in NBA history, and has led the league in field goal accuracy nine times, matching Wilt Chamberlain’s all-time record. O’Neal has averaged 11.5 rebounds (21st-NBA history) and grabbed 11,630 (21st) boards as a member of the Orlando Magic (1992-97), Los Angeles Lakers (1997-2004) and Miami Heat (2005-2008). The three-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team honoree (2000, 2001, 2003) ranks 8th all-time in blocks (2,485).
O’Neal, 35, won three NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers (2000, 2001, 2002) and one with the Miami Heat (2006). A three-time NBA Finals MVP (2000, 2001, 2002), O’Neal owns career playoff averages of 25.5 points (10th), 12.1 rebounds and 2.19 blocks and is a career 56.6 percent (6th) shooter from the field in the postseason. Shaq has pulled down the third-most rebounds in NBA playoff history (2,401) and blocked the third-most shots (433).


The Louisiana State product, who won a gold medal as a member of the 1996 USA Men’s Senior National Team, was named the 1999-2000 NBA MVP after averaging 29.7 points and 13.6 rebounds for the NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. O’Neal is a 13-time All-NBA First Team selection, a 14-time All-Star and the 1992-93 Rookie of the Year.


Originally selected with the first overall pick of the 1992 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic, Shaq signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers on July 18, 1996, before being acquired by the Heat on July 14, 2004, in exchange for Caron Butler, Brian Grant, Lamar Odom and a future first-round pick.


Marion has played all nine of his professional seasons with the Suns after being selected by Phoenix with the ninth overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft. The UNLV product owns career averages of 18.4 points and 10.0 rebounds in 660 games (647 starts). The four-time All-Star is second in minutes played in franchise history (24,948), fourth in points (12,134), second in rebounds (6,616), second in steals (1,245) and third in blocked shots (894). Amaré Stoudemire, in his sixth season with Phoenix, is now the longest-tenured Sun.


Banks signed with the Suns on July 20, 2006 and in just over one season has averaged 5.0 points, 0.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 11.8 minutes in 69 games (two starts) for Phoenix.


The three-time defending Pacific Division Champion Phoenix Suns own the best record in the Western Conference (34-14) and tonight host the New Orleans Hornets (32-15, 1.5 games back) at 7 p.m. at US Airways Center. All the action can be seen on FSN Arizona and heard on Sports 620 KTAR.



Source: http://www.nba.com/suns/news/release_080206.html

Oops I just post a new one about the trade... I just notice this thread... my bad!!!....

IMO... its a surprise trade... it seems for everyone its the worst decision by Phoenix but if Shaq could deliver championship at the end of the season... then maybe its not bad after all... he prove it before... but will just wait and see...

I'm a Miami Heat fun... I wonder what the Marion-Wade tandem could produce next season...
 
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Sounds crazy. But I think, Steve Kerr's philosophy is they are looking ahead in the playoffs where defense can win. Shaq, could still be an intimidating presence in the middle (together with Amare). It was always their weakness is that they are small and not known for defense. Now with shaq they have the flexibility to play big or small. And can play Diaw and Hill at the same time.

That is if Shaq, gets his bearing again for his remaining playing years.
 
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