This week in the NBA

[PUT THAT DICK IN MY MOUTH! 0]

I guess this could maybe make them tougher for the playoffs but it's almost certainly going to make them a lot less fun to watch.

[Precious Roy 0]

This deal is completely insane.

 

Miami makes out like bandits unloading Shaq for an in his prime all-star, and I imagine Marion will find the situation in Miami to his liking and be less likely to opt out of his contract. It says something for a guy when he'd reportedly be happy to move from one of the best teams in the league to one of the worst, but he and Wade should compliment each other and Marion will get to move back to the 3 and take as many shots as he wants.

 

The Suns are taking a ridiculous gamble here, between Shaq's age, health, declining skills and contract, not to mention how he's going to co-exist with their offensive philosophy. Not that I don't think it could work, but man, that's a ballsy risk to take when you're sitting on the best record in your conference. Obviously the reason they're getting Shaq is for the playoffs, but how much can you really expect him to give you against Yao, Bynum, Duncan etc. at this point?

 

Crazy.

[Golgo 13 0]

I laughed heartily when someone proposed the same thing on the Nuggets ESPN board. I don't see how this could possibly make the Suns better.

[Ripper 0]

Yeah...this completely changes their offense. Their offense always had to have a guy that could at least hit the mid range shot. Now they are going to a grind it out offense. ugh..

 

 

Kerr is either going to come off like a genius or a dumbass when this is all said and done.

 

Or maybe Shaq has been Vincing it in Miami this year. All I know is that when the Suns play the Heat, Riley has to sit Shaq after 5 minutes because he can't keep up with the pace. What about that said "Well...lets add him!!!"

 

I stand by my ugh.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

the whole thing makes no sense. I really dont see how Shaq works on the SUNs.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Anybody besides me wondering how this trade impacts the "do over" game between Miami and Atlanta?

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

This is a terrible trade on paper but it could work. COULD is the key word. I won't be too shocked if Shaq "miraculously" recovers and becomes good again. And if that happens, big if, Phoenix is better suited to fight the Spurs and Lakers. Plus, realistically, Nash has 2 years left anyway so it's not like they're mortgaging their future. They'd be rebuilding soon either way.

 

Nonetheless, they could've gotten better for Marion, I have no doubt in my mind about that.

[Ripper 0]

Anybody besides me wondering how this trade impacts the "do over" game between Miami and Atlanta?

 

 

First thing that came to my mind.

 

 

 

But I just don't get it. You have the best record in the west. You have had Marion/Nash/Amare together for 2 and a half seasons and have over 120 wins in those two seasons. you also got a western confernce finals and a semifinals out of it.

 

So you blow it up?? That just makes no sense to me.

 

I still felt the only team that could take the suns in the West are the spurs (no I am not in the belief that anyone has to "hope" to hang with the lakers right now). Now? I don't know.

[naiwf 0]

This is the most peculiar trade I think I've ever seen. The run and gun Suns tradng for a broken down shell of a guy is one thing, but giving up a stud to get him is just bizarre. As bad as the Eastern Conference is Miami could still make a playoff run, and even if they don't they'll get a lottery pick to go with Wade and Marion. It's almost like Phoenix wants Miami to do well at its own expense. I just don't get it.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Stolen liberally from ESPN Insider's Chris Broussard, here are the apparent reasons the Suns wanted Shaq:

 

Basketball-wise, the Suns believe the positives are this:

1. Shaq will give them the big, physical presence they sorely lack on both ends of the floor.

2. Shaq will enable Amare Stoudemire to play his true and preferred position of power forward, which will make Amare more effective, possibly increasing his scoring and rebounding numbers.

3. Steve Nash will make Shaq a bigger scorer than he currently is in Miami because of his ability to create easy baskets for the big fella. Plus, the Suns' 3-point shooting ability will open things up for Shaq inside.

4. The Suns can still run with Shaq because you don't need all five players sprinting upcourt to run a fastbreak.

 

I don't like this deal and well, no one does really, but I can sort of see why they did it. This team, as presently constructed, probably can't win the title. Marion is gone after the season and Nash has maybe one or two years left to win a title in Phoenix. They are taking a gamble on an old, washed up Shaq, but if he can regain some of his old form he might just be the missing ingredient in the post that this team needs. We'll see.

 

[bobobrazil1984 0]

Its classic overkill. They need a big man, a big presence, everybody knows this... so they get the biggest fattest slowest half-washed-up guy possible? I heard they were also in discussions for Okafur and Dalembert. I think both would work better in the Suns.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

2 good years and an NBA title for $60 million, and then you dump the contract and get another $20 million to either rebuild with 1) a second all-star in Marion, or 2) whoever you can get for that cash if you let him leave. Not bad, Miami Heat.

[Brett Favre 0]

They should still try to get one of them. Shaq won't play more than 25-30 minutes a game in the playoffs. The more I think about it, the more I kinda like the trade for Phoenix cause he's going to get them open threes, and Nash will get him easy buckets. But their defense really isn't improved, so they should look into Dalembert. I'd probably offer them Diaw for Dalembert.

 

^Yeah, it's a win win for Miami.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Even if Shaq sucks it up this year, I don't think that he'll be that hard to trade later on. Some team would love the opportunity to take on a $20 million expiring contract (Shaq's deal is done in '10). So theoretically they could take a shot this year and if it fails, they have the opportunity to change the dynamic again next season. I know that's not a good reason to make a trade, but it does give them a chance to take a mulligan.

[Guest]

I really want the Lakers to play the Suns in the playoffs again, now. Shaq doesn't really command a double-team anymore, and he's not necessarily mobile enough to run the pick and roll with Nash. This trade is awful. The Suns just took what allowed them to beat people and ruined it.

[naiwf 0]

They should still try to get one of them. Shaq won't play more than 25-30 minutes a game in the playoffs. The more I think about it, the more I kinda like the trade for Phoenix cause he's going to get them open threes, and Nash will get him easy buckets. But their defense really isn't improved, so they should look into Dalembert. I'd probably offer them Diaw for Dalembert.

 

^Yeah, it's a win win for Miami.

 

You're assuming that Shaq doesn't get hurt again, or can even give you a steady 25 to 30 minutes a night for a postseason run which are both fairly large assumptions. I also don't buy the argument that Shaq gets you open threes because no one in the WC playoff mix should be double teaming him of all people. He can't lift anymore, so when he does the ball fake/shoulder dip he just ends up running through guys. Add in that Shaq and Amare both can't/don't play defense AND you're trading away Marion, so a competent frontcourt should eat these guys for lunch and that's why I think this move is a huge mistake for Phoenix. But then again, I don't like the Suns so I hope Shaq passes his physical.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I never got the impression that Steve Kerr bought into what the Suns were doing. I don't have any quotes or anything to back that up, but the few times I heard him speak about the team and the future, it seemed like he thought they needed to slow things down and get tougher in the halfcourt. I don't think that a GM would make this trade if they even halfway believed in the Suns style of play.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Just realized that the Suns will have about $50 million coming off the books at the end of 2010. They will have to re-sign Amare, but I think Wade and Lebron will both be available as well.

[Ripper 0]

That is a plus. And Shaq will be a great trade bait next year with 20 million coming off of someones roster and so many good free agents up. Any losing team with a superstar that doesn't want to lose them for nothing might make that move.

 

And the more I think about it, old broken down, can't run the court Kareem worked out just fine for the showtime lakers. Maybe this won't be that bad.

 

except we now have two guys that don't show on pick and rolls, although Amare is becoming one of the better off side defenders, on the man he is horrible.

 

Shaq is a good passer out the post, but is too slow to run the pick and roll, and him on the block will screw up Nashs dribble penetration.

 

It will be interesting if nothing else.

[Guest Blue Man Czech]

basketblol

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Okay, that's sorta funny.

[Ripper 0]

I made a quick stop to the Suns realgm page. And was quickly reminded why I never go there. Annoying laker fans and annoying suns fans. ugh.

 

 

[Guest]

I hate that place.

[Ripper 0]

Its full of people that became die hard fans like two years ago and tell you shit like "I was a suns fan back when they had Kidd"

 

Bandwagon jumpers and doomsday crying loudmouths. One win and you are going to win the championship and one lost and you should trade EVERYONE.

[alfdogg 0]

I'm willing to bet that 60% of current Suns fans couldn't pick Kevin Johnson out of a lineup.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I'm willing to bet that 60% of current Suns fans couldn't pick Kevin Johnson out of a lineup.

 

 

A number of things have happened lately that make me feel old. This is one of them.

[Ripper 0]

Or believe that the Suns sucked before Barkley got there. Ugh...i feel old and angry...

[naiwf 0]

 

My favorite KJ moment.

 

 

That one's not bad, but the guy was a statue.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

The late 80s Suns were a lot of fun. White guys galore... Chambers, Majerle, Hornacek, Kerr and Rambis. A coach named Cotton. What's not to love there?

[Guest]

Who's Mark Eaton?