[Miami Herald] Shaq-Marion Deal In Works (UPDATE: Done Deal)

Maye I'm wrong, but it seems like the Suns have been able to drop a lot of talent over the last few years and still be good.

James Jones
Kurt Thomas
Tim Thomas
Eddie House
Joe Johnson
Q Rich
Amare even missed a season.

Of course they have also added talent:

Raja Bell
Grant Hill
Boris Diaw

The only constants ever since Steve Nash's arrival are Shawn Marion and the blossomed Leandro Barbosa...oh and D'Antoni the coach.

So I too am very curious as to how this will play out. The points about Marion being the fast break guy, the defense guy, the garbage points man...those are all legit. Then there's also the legit points about the Suns needing an inside presence.

Over the last 3 years, the Suns have been very successful (arguably the 3rd most successful team behind the Spurs and the Heat) and have had surprising role players step up during the playoffs like Jim Jackson, Tim Thomas, and Boris Diaw.

I think Nash is too good to let them slide into lotto land. I think a worst-case scenario for them is a fall into the bottom half of the WC playoff teams and a first round exit. A linup of Shaq, Amare, Grant Hill, Bell, Nash and Barbosa, Diaw coming off the bench...well, that is still very talented...it's not like the Suns are suddenly devoid of talent. Yes, Marion is excellent, but some of y'all are writing the rest of the Suns off too easily.

It might be a better matchup for the Rockets, but they'll still have major problems stopping Nash...and what about Barbosa...he's a big time Rocket killer...and of course Amare doesn't have to go in vs Yao anymore, (which was good/bad depending on the game) and will be pitted against Scola/Landry/Hayes...it's not going to be a cakewalk.

 

Because not everybody is as pessimistic as you (well Roxs fans actually are really pessimistic)

 

I think Phoenix is making a terrible mistake....this move only affects Houston if they meet in the playoffs.....Shaq killed Yao that last game in Miami.....

 

DD,

Give badger some of that mighty crack that you've been smoking...and a hug.

-P1st, S2nd

 

And he got kill all the other games before.

 

when playing the suns, marion's always been the most difficult one to handle. a sudden block or those blurry fastbreaks....and suns trade their advantage (including banks, who's been nash's consistent backup) for shaq....

what is more, there aint no other player fits the suns better than marion.

I dont think we have to keep up with some team no better than us

 

We do need an upgrade...unfortunately we have no parts that anybody wants.....I think we would all feel better if all parts were clicking right now....T-Mac, Shane, and LAndry have carried the Rockets recently.....Hopefully Yao snaps back tommorrow.....Bonzi has been horrible but last game he dod a little something....Rafer is as inconsistent as ever.....Brooks must have plowed into the Rookie Wall without a helmet

 

Realists look like pessimists to optimists.

Look, regardless of whether you're high or low on the Rockets right now it's not going to be possible to issue a definitive conclusion until March. The schedule right now is too weak and the Rockets' performance too inconsistent for me to feel optimistic. Hopefully the Rockets can use this month to try and mesh. After March it should be fairly obvious what their chances are in the playoffs, assuming they qualify.

 

I agree, they are what they are right now and they have to work on offensive chemistry....1st and foremost, there are alot of T-Mac haters on this board but T-Mac is really trying.....T-Mac can get his shot anytime he wants but I think Yao has to do a better job to establishing himself downlow and work on his defense because at the center position he our last line of defense. With the teamwork of those two, the rest will follow.

 

All I can say is if this REALLY goes through is WOW! Because, the Suns clearly will have made a knee jerk reaction to Gasol to Lakers' move and they will have mortgaged their future.

For the Rockets, it makes it MUCH easier for us to defend the Suns. For the Heat, good God this potentially saves their franchise from utter HELL the next three years. What a Coup? Marion AND Wade together?

Get another BIG man and the Heat are once again pressing onward and upward in the Eastern Conference.

Wade is probably doing cartwheels upon hearing this news! Because, this adds one freakish hell dimension of athleticism that the East scarcely has or has matured.

WOW! I'll just say it again! WOW! Never would have thought this!

 

I honestly hope that you meant defensively here.

 

If this trade goes down..

The suns officially have zero chance of beating SA without Marion stopping Tony Parker from getting into the lane

The suns officially have zero chance of beating NO without Marion stopping Chris Paul from getting into the lane

The Suns officially have zero chance of beating Utah without Marion stopping Deron Williams from getting into the lane.

Like most other people, i have no idea why the suns would think of this. It chews up salary and Shaq just isnt the player they need in their system. Marion is the second most important player on that team after Nash. Their defence stinks now, can you imagine it without Marion.

Ps.

 

simple! Fire D'Antoni and hire Jeff van Gundy as their head coach. Problem solved!

 

Realists is what pessimists use as an excuse for their negativity.

The first step to stop being pessimist is to realize you are pessimist, thats the only way you can change, is like the first step to stop being and alcoholic is to realize you are addict it to alcohol.

 

If it's really , the Rockets will no longer be afraid of the sun

 

They haven't mortgaged their future. Their 7 man rotation is still in tact. Shaq, Amare and Diow will man the 4/5 spots. They normally get a shot off in 8 secs, so Shaq won't have time to leave the defensive end of the court. They have the shooters to play 4 on 5 offense.

 

That would be an immense mistake by Phoenix. Good for us.

 

thing is who are we going to get that can effectively hold STAT?

 

The Shaq trade hurts us if we meet Phoenix in the first round, which is a possibility, since we're outside looking in at the 7th and 8th seed...

That could be a big, f-in problem. Where are you Mike Miller and Hakim Warrick???

 

The only thing I can think of is that Shaq is going to be sitting most of the season and only playing against some of the toughest inside players... ie Howard, Yao, etc.

Lord knows those are the only games he shows up for now anyway.

Other than that Shaq can't run with them and losing Marion is a huge part of your rotation. Who do they have to fill that spot for a guy that won't be playing most of the games during the season?

This happens and they will lose more games in the short term in order to chance a matchup benefit in the playoffs.