http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/09240925p2main-ON.html Attention, Suns! Roll call! Rookies! Alando Tucker and D.J. Strawberry have been around all summer. STAT! Amaré Stoudemire, like his nickname, was here immediately after the season and has been at his arena "lab" all summer. New guy! Grant Hill moved and showed up in August, before September's voluntary workouts began and before the high temperature each day dipped below 110 degrees. Sean Marks! Re-signed and returned to the court. Eric Piatkowski! Back in the court's corners, hitting three-pointers daily. Marcus Banks! Another early arrival and frequent attendee. Leandro Barbosa! Even with two trips to Brazil, an Olympic qualifying tournament in Las Vegas and a trip to China with Steve Nash, he has been in the building a lot this month. MVP! Nash came back earlier than usual and played when it was just Marks, Hill and the rookies with him. Raja Bell! After hanging out in Miami to keep his new son near his parents and enjoy his 31st birthday, Bell arrived Monday looking lean and mean. Boris Diaw! He is supposed to arrive today after getting a pass to be in Europe with Suns strength and conditioning coach Erik Phillips for France's play in Eurobasket 2007. And that leaves . . . forward Shawn Marion. Even Brian Skinner might be in Phoenix before Marion. The Suns signed the veteran big man Monday, after the free agent weighed a Boston offer against the Suns' partially guaranteed deal. Nobody expects to see Marion, never one to subject himself to a fine, until players are required to report Monday. Well, that is, they would see him Monday if he still is with the Suns. Marion never is one to arrive too early. Last year, he showed up at the arena on Sept. 19 and on Sept. 23 in 2005. By all accounts, Marion is not wearing the grin seen in his furniture-store commercials, but that's hearsay, because Marion and his agent have not returned a call. But according to several Suns sources, Marion seems to be unhappy that the team will not talk about a contract extension. The word is that the four-time All-Star, in his eighth year with the team, wants $60 million over three years. Marion, already the highest-paid Suns player, will make $16.4 million this season and $17.8 million for 2008-09. Trade rumors might not bother Marion much anymore, because there are indications that he would welcome a deal. The locker-room reviews on such an idea are mixed. The two top trade possibilities involve Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko, who is even more disgruntled with his team, and Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom and a teammate, possibly forward Brian Cook. A Marion deal still is unlikely because of the stars and salaries attached. But wasn't that also what we heard about the idea of a Kevin Garnett trade?
It would be interesting to see him play alongside Kobe. Those 2 would make one scary combo to defend against and maybe I'd watch a couple of Lakers game or two. I don't dislike Marion.. I don't like him also.. but word on the streets say that Marion don't get along with Amare, and anyone who doesn't like Amare is ok in my book.
I read this yesterday and if he's serious about $20MM/yr he is crazy. Marion is a very productive player but he isn't a superstar. Plus, he pulls disappearing acts at the worst possible time.
Well for me he is a star. Very good player and in my opinion every coach would love to have him. He's smart. First of all very good rebounder, blocker and defensive player + good offensive skills, 3-point shootin' dunks
Of course. But being a superstar is more than just stats. Marion is a great garbage player, maybe the best ever. When the Suns need a basket, they go to Nash, Amare or Barbosa before Marion. Why? Because Marion is not good at creating his own shot and scoring off the dribble. He's a very athletic guy who finishes great, shoots a reasonable clip from long range and rebounds. Some nights he is very good on defense. He is a star-level player but he's a cut below Kobe, Wade, Melo, Gilbert, TD, KG type superstars. That's all I meant. I'll admit this: If Marion is looking at what Rashard Lewis got and is thinking, "I'm better than that guy" he is right. Using that comparison, $20MM/yr isn't so crazy. Too bad he's opening his mouth a week before training camp.
He should get $60 million just for the simple fact that he makes that fugly jumper of his go in. That is easily the ugliest jump shot in NBA history...
He's overrated as a shooter. Maybe it's just me, but seems like every time he takes a 3 pointer he misses. He takes waaaay too many of them. He's effective at finishing, putbacks, mid-range and slashing.
That's weird, because I don't believe I've ever seen him MISS a 3 pointer...well, at least when he's playing against The Rockets.
i would be interested to see how phx would do without marion. I personally think that his unique abilities are really what allow phx to play their style.
I would agree with this. It's a double edged sword with Marion. His ability to be effective at the 4 is what allows them to play that style, but at the same time, he absolutely kills them in the playoffs with his disappearing acts. He's the greatest garbage man of all-time, as someone said, but certainly not worth $20million.
Heh heh! I just checked the stats: According to espn.com, he shot 31.7% from long range last season, 33.3% against the Rockets. I don't even remember him against the Rockets. Seems like whenever they were on ABC on Sunday or I saw them on sopcast, he would brick every 3 pointer and I wondered why he kept taking them. He should focus more on using his quickness against other PFs instead of just parking himself outside.
I'm more interested to see how Marion does without Nash. I think Marion would still do okay because like you said he has a lot of unique abilities but Nash made him look THAT much better with all those easy feeds.
