In what is supposed to be a day that is recognized as the day where all sports attention is focused on college football’s signing day, the NBA has found a way to trump it by announcing that Shaq has been dealt to the Phoenix Suns.

The Miami Heat traded Shaq to the Suns for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.  Shaq, who is currently out with injury, passed the team physical and should be very excited about the move to Phoenix.  After all, he’s leaving the worst team in the NBA for one of the best and is surrounded by star players.  Dwyane Wade had outgrown Shaq in Miami and the team needed some fresh faces.  By adding Banks and Marion the team actually fills two large holes.  Marion is athletic enough to play the small forward or power forward and Banks is going to actually see the court after riding the pine in Phoenix since he got there.  This may be Banks last shot to really prove he can play and he’ll get every chance in Miami playing with and behind Jason Williams.  Marion has been wanting out of Phoenix for some time and gets his wish even though he won’t in any sort of playoff contention this year. 

I like the move for Miami because they are entrenched in the bottom of the league and should get a top 3 pick in the upcoming draft.  Team that pick with Wade and Marion and you have very good nucleus to a team.  Shaq was getting older and his relationship with Riley was apparently very strained.

As for the Suns, I don’t really get it.  They will put Shaq underneath and let Stoudamire play power forward.  Grant Hill will play small forward and then have Boris Diaw rotate between the 3 and 4 spots off the bench.  It all comes down to Shaq and how healthy he is.  The Suns know that the window for them is closing and with Gasol going to the Lakers, Steve Kerr of Phoenix needed to do something and he did.  Shaq gives them a center to go up against the powers in the WEst like Tim Duncan, Yao Ming, Gasol or Bynum.  It boils down to his health.  If Shaq comes back rejuvenated then look out western conference.  I don’t see it however and think this deal comes back to haunt the Suns for the next two season as they pay the big guy 20 mill per season.

And if this deal wasn’t enough to trump signing day, tune in to ESPN tonight at Duke #2 plays North Carolina #3.  I love basketball.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 6th, 2008 at 6:31 pm and is filed under Discussion, NBA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.