Shaq in Phoenix!!! ???

The huge announcement this week in the NBA was the trade between Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat. The Heat receive Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks (Steve Nash’s backup) for Shaquille O’Neal. The Suns are thrilled to have Shaq coming to the land of the Sun. But I don’t get it? Why Shaq? Why now late in his career? Do they know something I don’t know?

Shawn Marion at the time of the trade is averaging MORE pts and MORE rebounds than Shaq.

The Suns made this deal because Marion had asked for a trade at the beginning of the season. He only has 1 year left on his contract and instead of losing him at the end of the year they need to get something for him. Shaq has 2 years left on his deal and he is supposed to take Phoenix over the hump and win a championship.

The talk seems to be that the Suns need a C to win a championship. In the west they have lacked that C to win? In the West there is not dominating C. Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan are Power Forwards. The C’s in the West are Y.Ming, A.Bynum (injured), G.Oden (injured).

Will Steve Nash make Shaq better? Sure he makes everyone better. But Shaq is claiming he’s going to be making everyone except Steve better. This is where I disagree. He will help Amare Stoudimare to play his normal PF position but Shaq is not going to receive the attention like he once was. Not many double teams. He’s slow and aging. He is not a MVP candidate anymore. Can he run the floor with this fast break team? This side of the deal is getting all the attention but I think the team that won this deal is the Miami Heat ESPECIALLY if they resign Marion to play long term with Dwayne Wade.

Okay so maybe I am wrong. I am playing in the franchise mode in XBOX 360’s version of NBA 2k7 and I happen to be the Phoenix Suns. So I decided to trade for Shaq for Shawn Marion. Not only did they want to but they gladly did with their 1^st rd draft pick and A.Mourning too! The cool thing about this game is they made it realistic and his age has caught up with him and he is no longer a 95 overall rating but a 76. So I go into the 1^st game with the new look Suns and I don’t even it make it threw the 1^st quarter before I realize this is a horrific trade. I turn off my 360 so I don’t save this trade and go trade Marion, my 1^st rd PF, and K.Thomas to Orlando for Dwight Howard, Grant Hill, and a rookie SG. Oh yeah and I got Howard locked up in contract for 5 yrs instead of paying Shaq through the roof for 2 years.

I understand they needed to trade Marion but couldn’t they have gotten something better? Like Pau Gasol or Y.Ming? I believe the Lakers getting Pau Gasol is bigger news than an aging Shaq going to Phoenix.

Of course I could be wrong but I doubt it. Being a fan of Phoenix (more importantly S.Nash) I hope I am wrong. I hope they win a championshipship. I can’t see myself being wrong in this situation.

There are great teams to beat and I can’t see Phoenix beating the Spurs, Celtics, Magic, Mavericks, Pistons, and Lakers.