Shaquille O’Neal/Shawn Marion Deal Finalized: The Suns Trade For More Heat
(Arizona Republic)
Signature trade of Steve Kerr’s career
I’m not one of these folks who thinks this isn’t a good trade. Let me ask the critics two questions:
What have the Suns ever won in June?
Uh, nothing.
When does their team usually breakdown?
In playoff half court offense.
They haven’t been to the Finals since the year Chuck got banged on by Webb.
Everything slows down in June and it’s about time the Suns have realized this. You see all the pundits screaming the demise of the Phoenix like the Suns are this decade long dynasty model. Perception is not reality.
You don’t think the greatest offensive force since Wilt Chamberlain isn’t going to be motivated at the prospect of facing Kobe and Phil with it all on the line?
You must be smoking with the folks who think Donovan is supposed do it alone.
This is the Shaq Phoenix is getting. Trust me on that. He’ll be asked to play a little defense and dunk on somebody here and there. No more no less. It also must be stated that Shaq’s assist total will rise passing out of double teams in the post.
I’m covering the Sixers/Heat for SLAM tomorrow, so I’ll have player reactions posted on their site Friday.
Shameless plug in 2 seconds…
My Chris Paul feature is on the shelves now. LeBron is on the cover.
Anyway…
The Suns have agreed to the trade that will bring center Shaquille O’Neal to Phoenix in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.
O’Neal passed his physical exam to the Suns’ satisfaction this afternoon and a trade call was being placed with the league to make the trade official.
O’Neal flew into the Valley today and could even be in attendance at US Airways Center tonight for Phoenix’s 7 p.m. game with New Orleans
Although O’Neal has been out with a hip injury, it was believed that he would pass the physical because he is in great condition and is said to be at 312 pounds (down from his listed 325 pounds) with low body fat.
He seems to be a motivated player too, having jumped on a plane this morning after talking to several of the Suns, such as Steve Nash and Amaré Stoudemire, on Tuesday night.
“I will not let you down,” O’Neal told Nash on the phone.
O’Neal’s soon-to-be former teammates are in Detroit today.
“Nothing has been completed,” Heat coach and President Pat Riley told the Miami Herald today. “These things have backed up before.”
The Herald, which broke the trade’s news Tuesday, also quoted Heat star Dwyane Wade, saying, “I have no reaction because I don’t know the truth. Until that time comes, this is the NBA. I’m not surprised at anything.”
Phoenix will have to sign another player after completing the trade because it will be one man shy of the league’s 13-man roster minimum. Richie Frahm would likely be a possibility because he spent training camp and preseason with the Suns and was recently with the Clippers.