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Shaq traded for Marion

Chicago_bulls_logo_tiny by chgobr on

ESPN and The Miami Herald report that Shaq has been traded for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks

ESPN reported early Wednesday that the Heat has agreed to trade Shaquille O'Neal, the superstar center who arrived at the Miami Heat's doorstep in a diesel truck and then helped drive the team to an NBA championship, to the Phoenix Suns pending O'Neal passing a physical exam in Phoenix on Wednesday.

The Heat is expected to receive forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks in exchange for O'Neal. ESPN's report followed a Miami Herald report that the Heat had informed O'Neal that a trade to Phoenix was a strong possibility.

If Shawn Marion opts out of his contract Miami will be under the cap and will be able to go after free agents.

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Frak the heck?
Have the all the GMs taken stupid pills? Pat Riley must be licking his chops to get rid of Shaq and his contract all while publicly being able to say he's doing it to give Shaq a shot at another title, not to mention he'll pair Wade with Marion and a probable high lottery pick.

I just don't see what this accomplishes for the Suns  but whatever. This whole season hasn't made any sense.

If the Timberwolves, Grizzlies and Heat have some concoction of the top 3 picks in the draft this year you know something shady is going on.

by CubFan81 on Feb 6, 2008 6:14 AM CST   0 recs

If Riley
can dump Shaq, what does that say about Paxson's attempt to dump Wallace.  Wallace even has a more favorable contract and he's not hurt.

by exult463 on Feb 6, 2008 6:45 AM CST   0 recs

I was just about to post the same
If Riles can move Shaq Pax should be able to move the Corpse.  Shaq has $20 mil due for two years after this year and is injured.  Maybe Shaq will not pass the physical and the Suns will take the Corpse.

by chgobr on Feb 6, 2008 7:57 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Shaq
Is still much more of a draw than Big Ben will ever be.  Shaq is a superstar that will help sell merchandising, and will continually pack the seats accross the league until he retires.  He also is good for local businesses who use him in publicity campaigns, etc.  He speaks well to the media, has a nice persona, and is a superstar despite his diminishing talents and ever-increasing girth.

Big Ben might be the better player today making $5M less money, but Ben can't play offense at all (which is a knock against him with a heavy O team--even though us outsiders, myself included think having Big B on a heavy O team would work well, I'm not sure that's quite the route Phx wants to take).

Plus Phx will earn far more than the $20M they'll pay Shaq just to have Shaq come, they'll probably get a whole bunch of merchandising rev when the trade comes down.

On a business sense, this trade makes sense for Phx to a degree (if they part with Marion to Heat instead of Marion to the Bulls), but for both sakes, I think they should keep Marion or at least get a better trade for Marion in order to keep their championship hopes alive, because with Shaq, they'll fall pretty far down as they lose Marion (a key player) and replace him with a former great player who really needs to play in a half-court offense, and that's something Phx I don't believe is most equipped for.

Oh well......

The Bulls would have more enticing options, but I can see the want to bring in Shaq even old man Shaq on the business side, even if it might cripple the championship aspirations....Phx doesn't think it will and Riley the GM will end up with perhaps his best GM coup of them all (getting Shaq to Miami for a championship and then finding a way to deal his behemouth contract for a fabulous second option to tier with Wade.  Add in the money from the expiring Zo, Davis, and JWill contracts, and the likely 1-5 pick they'll receive and voila, the Heat will be back up to the top again even possibly by next season (w/free agent pickups and Marion renewing).  Imagine if they could grab Gilbert and have a Gilbert-Wade-Marion-Haslem big 4.....that would be incredible, I doubt Miami would have the strains of the luxury tax as much with this lineup....

by majoyenrac on Feb 6, 2008 8:08 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Bullshit
Even in Shaq's crappy season, he's still playing better than Ben Wallace. There's hardly a metric out there that will show otherwise. They're paying way too much for such a "small" positive contribution, but at least they're getting something positive. Unlike with Wallace.

You guys are idiots for thinking Wallace is playing better than Shaq.

Let us prepare for glory! --Michael Redd

by tyger1147 on Feb 6, 2008 8:35 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Wallace
Is playing, which is better than Shaq.

And Wallace's play decline is mostly motivation, unlike Shaq who's massive size has caused him to significantly slow.

Shaq can score, but he can't defend anymore, and his O prowess can be offset by his inability to run up and down the court.

Plus Wallace has slipped so significantly from last year and even the preseason that it has to be a mental issue with him....we've seen the Shaq slip for years.

And furthermore, with the Bulls we could offer a few nice assets alongside Big Ben for the same money and Phx would be better off.

Wallace can run the court if need be, and he will shore up the paint when on a contender (he was pretty solid last year once we got our heads out of our asses and we started to look like a ECF threat)....

by majoyenrac on Feb 6, 2008 8:50 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

not very logical
You should be happy that Kerr doesn't have a job with the Bulls.
Fire Boylan!

by hscs on Feb 6, 2008 8:35 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

yessir
A blow against the anyone-associated-with-bulls-dynasty-bulls-should-rehire philosophy.

Sorry Alec, Craig Hodges isn't walking through that door.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 6, 2008 10:55 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

HOORJ
for physicals.  Let's hope.

by NBA Observer on Feb 6, 2008 10:07 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

That was pretty much
my first thought, too.

First, Pax fails in his attempt to land Garnett. Garnett goes for a lot less to the C's, making them instant contenders. Ok, fine.

Kobe asks to get traded to the Bulls, but Paxson is either not in a position to, or fails to, pull the trigger. The Lakers go on multiple winning streaks and the Bulls bottom out to start the season.

Pax then goes after Gasol and gets shut out. Gasol goes to the Lakers, making them an instant contender.

So fine--maybe we missed out on some great talents, but at least we've got company in the underachieving East, where the team we got Ben Wallace to combat (the Heat) is in last place in the entire NBA. And we may have overpaid for Big Ben, but at least he's not untradeable like Shaq. Right? Wrong.

This one proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt--Paxson lacks the ability to make a favorable deal in an environment when pretty much every other GM is making the deal they want.

Paxson, you're not bad at what you do; you just have... an inability... to do your job well...

"Duhon, don't make that garbage-time jumper... Save it for the next game!"

by bullhockey on Feb 6, 2008 2:51 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

What's
incredibly stupid about this trade is how badly it damages the suns.  First, it eliminates a key player for their system.  Here was a guy that could lock down on D across three positions, drain the open three, run the break and finish at the hoop.  They've replaced that with a plodding center that slows the offense, can't run, is injury-probable, is a liability on defense and can not run the fast break!  If finalized, this trade will effectively make Steve Nash an entry-passer.  Amare will not benefit from this move either.  I do not understand it unless they solely want to move some jerseys.  But, hell, let's be honest about that as well: Shaq didn't get voted into the allstar game, how many kids want to go buy his jersey?
At least wallace could run the floor.  He wouldn't give them offense but who says the Suns are hurting for offense?  Isn't the knock against them a lack of toughness and defense.  I would actually think Ben could give them a lot of valuable minutes next to Amare.  Plus, the Suns probably could have received another nice piece in the deal.  
This trade befuddles me.
"...Keeping 'SlowHand' alive since aught-five"

by CookDing on Feb 6, 2008 8:30 AM CST   0 recs

no kidding (for the most part)
Shaq jerseys were probably half off in Miami before the trade.
Fire Boylan!

by hscs on Feb 6, 2008 8:32 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Plus the Suns are stuck with owing Shaq 20 mil for
two more years.  The Suns may turn into the Bulls.  Shaq will be blamed for their downfall and screwing up their cap.  I don't see this helping the Suns at all.  I may be proven wrong but Shaq looked dead when we played the Heat in the playoffs.  I think the corpse has a better contract and could have helped the Suns more than Shaq.

by chgobr on Feb 6, 2008 8:36 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Well, now that's true.
Wallace probably would fit in the system better. He's still not playing better than Shaq, though.
Let us prepare for glory! --Michael Redd

by tyger1147 on Feb 6, 2008 8:39 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Wallace is better and cheaper
than Shaq.  The Suns are presently 14-12 against the West and are just 4-7 against current West playoff teams.  They weren't going anywhere this postseason without making a move.

But Shaq?  God almighty Crapson.  Work the f'n phones.  We weren't getting Amare, but we could get Marion for Wallace straight up.

by NBA Observer on Feb 6, 2008 10:09 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Wallace isn't better than Shaq
He is cheaper.

If Steve Kerr's logic (a stretch, I know) is that he needs a big body to move Amare to PF, then Wallace fits less.

Plus, Shaq is depressing to watch and hurt, but is still posting a PER over 18. Maybe they figure all it takes is a little motivation to get him magically less hurt. I believe the same would work for Wallace, but the max on Wallace is less than Shaq. Wallace is truly one of the worst contracts in the league. ugh.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 6, 2008 10:58 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Not just PER.
Unadjusted +/-, too.

ORtg and DRtg and WinShares and LossShares have Wallace ever-so-slightly better, but I don't have as much faith in those (or the magical Sports2 rating) as I do in PER or Unadj. +/-.

Let us prepare for glory! --Michael Redd

by tyger1147 on Feb 6, 2008 11:14 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

I'm surprised anything rates higher with Wallace
But I can't endorse unadjusted +/- except when it comes to deciding who's better on that team. So we can learn that playing Mark Blount over Shaq wouldn't be the best idea :-p

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 6, 2008 11:22 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

or maybe I shouldn't be that surprised
because PER is (almost entirely) about offense, and through a bit of anecdotal evidence it's clear that Shaq's defense is awful at his current immobile state. At least Wallace is passable in that area.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 6, 2008 11:24 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Wallace's Ortg takes a crap once
you adjust for the fact that he only uses 10% of the possessions, his 99 drops down to 89 because he makes he forces his teammates to take bad shots.  Shaq's Ortg goes up to 105.  Wallace also gets a boost to his Drtg from the defense that's played with Wallace off the court.  Win shares aren't a per minute stat so Wallace benefits from having played 500 more  minutes this season.

by Scotter on Feb 6, 2008 12:41 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

I'll give you credit though
for insisting that the Suns weren't winning as currently constituted and would deal. Apparently your calls to Steve Kerr got through.

I would've just said the hell with it and gave D'Antoni/Nash/Marion/Amare one more shot in this year's playoffs.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 6, 2008 11:01 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Some Heat fan
is registering thankyoukerr.blogspot.com right now.

Riley looks like a genius now.  He dumps the biggest corpse.  He frees cap space to sign a big FA.  The Heat suck so they're almost guaranteed a top 3 pick to get Beasley.  And they can re-sign Marion to a fat extension if they want to bust the cap anyway.

PG
Wade
Marion
Beasley
C

Yikes.

by NBA Observer on Feb 6, 2008 11:23 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

More like
Rose
Wade
Marion
Haslem
C

by Kemp on Feb 6, 2008 1:11 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

hopefully they do
and don't go after Deng.
Nocioni-Khryapa in '08

by bullshooter on Feb 6, 2008 1:49 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Kerr
is single-handedly destorying a powerhouse team...and I thought that Paxson was terrible!

by ScottieCartwright on Feb 6, 2008 8:44 AM CST   0 recs

This is a good summary of the problems
with this trade

From Wojnarowski in Yahoo sports

As long as the Phoenix Suns linger as that championship-free franchise in the desert, they will continue to regret making a trade for a broken-down Shaquille O'Neal. Between going for it, and sheer desperation, there is the finest line. What happened to believing in Mike D'Antoni's system? What happened to believing speed and finesse could deliver a championship?

In every way, this trade is an indictment of these D'Antoni glory years with the Suns. If Suns president Steve Kerr is thrusting Shaq onto his coach, he never bought into his coach's system. If D'Antoni is going along with this, you have to wonder whether he ever truly believed his way could win a title.

If he's willing trade to Shawn Marion for this Shaq, the architect of this system has surrendered.

"What are they (expletive) thinking?" one Western Conference executive blurted late Tuesday night.

"I have no clue what they are thinking," one Eastern Conference scout said. "Shaq retired two years ago."

"It seems like a classic clash of styles," one Western Conference GM said.


by chgobr on Feb 6, 2008 9:09 AM CST   0 recs

Wallace vs. Shaq
I don't think Shaq rates out that well in my system as he does using PER.  He's a 3rd tier guy. I guess the theory is that with a top flight PG and a very active guy like Amare blocking shots, you could ignore his immobility.

Looks like a big risk to me, and it cements the Suns in luxury tax territory in 08-09 unless they get rid of Nash (whose contract is only partially guaranteed).  On the other hand, it slightly helps their tax position this year and next, and 2 years away is a long way to worry about for an old team.

I think the bigger question is can they do better than Shaq?

I think Wallace might get them about the same kind of production (though more defense oriented) at a little over half the cost.  If I'm John Paxson I'd be selling Steve Kerr really hard on that point anyway.

Just in general, it's pretty interesting how everyone is gearing up to do battle with the Celtics and now the Lakers.  It gives a pretty clear idea of who wants to win and who doesn't give a shit.

By the way, Shaq and Wallace's total productivity rate out almost identically in my rating system.  Shaq's comes from Scoring though while Wallace's comes from generating assists and offensive rebounds.  They both rank out as 3rd tier, marginal starting quality guys.  If I had to sell a ticket I'd probably take Shaq.  If I had to win a game I'd take Pau Gasol.

by Sports2 on Feb 6, 2008 9:51 AM CST   0 recs

Kerr's
move will be brilliant or idiotic.  Time will tell.  I agree I see so much wrong with Shaq in D'Antoni's offense, but I also believe Shaq still has more in the tank (not retired or washed up yet) to offer in a half-court game.  

by exult463 on Feb 6, 2008 9:54 AM CST   0 recs

This may give Deng more contract leverage
if Marion opts out (he'd be foolish to do so, but who knows) Miami becomes a free agent player with the cap space to give Deng a lot of money.  Or Deng could wait a year until Marion's deal is over.
Nocioni-Khryapa in '08

by bullshooter on Feb 6, 2008 10:21 AM CST   0 recs

Would Marion and Deng be competing
against each other in free agency if Marion opts out?  I believe Marion would have the advantage because the Bulls could match any offer for Deng.

by chgobr on Feb 6, 2008 10:26 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

would you rather make a big money offer
to a 23 year old Deng or a 30 year old Marion?
Nocioni-Khryapa in '08

by bullshooter on Feb 6, 2008 10:32 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

If you felt you couldn't get Deng because
the Bulls would match your offer I'd go for Marion.  Why waste time making an offer you know won't get you what you want.  Pax has followed through when he says he will not lose someone if he can match the offer.  I believe Paxson did this with Noc and Memphis.  Other GMs should believe him.  However, there is always some one who will do the opposite of what I think they will do.

by chgobr on Feb 6, 2008 10:57 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

To Hamstring the Bulls in the Long-Run
If the Bulls have to tie up a bunch of money in Deng, then they're hosed in the long-run due to their unwillingness to pay the tax and their prior bad decisions (Wallace, Noc, Smith).

I'm going to post a diary on this because I worked out the numbers and they should be downright frightening for Bulls fans.  I see a crisis coming.

by Sports2 on Feb 6, 2008 11:30 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

I'd appreciate it
I was going to do a luxury-tax post but haven't gotten around to it. My initial premise is that Sam's '$25m for Gasol' talk was hooey, but perhaps not.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 6, 2008 11:33 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

that was my first thought too
In a week there have been 2 more teams positioning themselves (Miami and Grizzle joining Philly) for cap room this summer.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 6, 2008 10:54 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Marion would prove him self
to be not smart if he opts out of the 17 million owed to him.  No one's going to give him 17 million.

by KT on Feb 6, 2008 11:08 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

No one really knows how good he is without
Nash and the Pheonix system.  It would shock me if anyone gave him $17 mil.  Then I'm used to being shocked by the idiotic NBA GMs.

by chgobr on Feb 6, 2008 11:11 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

I wouldn't say that
That's $17m for only one season. If he opts out he can get 5-6 guaranteed contract years. That's pretty significant, and at his age it may be worth the risk just to get locked in now.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 6, 2008 11:14 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

guaranteed years are huge
and agents know this.

He might get 4 or 5 mil less next year, but a bad year next year and he might get 1 or 2 mil less per year over five years, and maybe even a year or two less.

Players often opt out (I don't know how often, does anyone?) especially when there are teams who can spend.

Let us prepare for glory! --Michael Redd

by tyger1147 on Feb 6, 2008 11:18 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

At 30
Marion's agent will start at years and then talk about salary per.

It's not like Marion has a history of missing games.  He's Jordanesque in terms of staying healthy and taking care of his body.

by NBA Observer on Feb 6, 2008 11:26 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

30 vs 31?
He's not going to get close to 17 million, so he gets 10 maybe.  He'd need to years to make more than that, and lose all the money he could be making on the 17 million.  How different would a contract that came at 1 year later?    

by KT on Feb 6, 2008 11:39 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

I don't think there's any way
in the world he opts out.  

It doesn't take a gypsy to read the message in the Chicago/Memphis tea leaves.  Teams are concerned about revenues.  In the current environment, cap relief is more important than star players.

If this year's Wait-it-Out poster boys, Gordon and Deng, don't get big paydays, a lot of guys in their position will think twice about turning down guaranteed money.

"No, no. Stop talking to me. Someone might notice," Paxson squeaked.

by alec on Feb 6, 2008 11:58 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

it was supposed to be the same climate last year
and Rashard Lewis opted out and got a bajillion dollars.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 6, 2008 12:21 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

I'm also thinking about
world-wide growth slowing, the stock market down over 5% since Jan 1, the continued implosion of the credit and housing markets....  

It's a different environment from what it was 12 months ago.

"No, no. Stop talking to me. Someone might notice," Paxson squeaked.

by alec on Feb 6, 2008 12:27 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

I'm not surprised you are thinking about that.
but the economics of major sports rarely make sense.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 6, 2008 12:29 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

The Heat have money to spend
Their owner, Micky Arison, is the 48th richest American according to Forbes.

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/54/biz_06rich400_Micky-Arison_OAU8.html

by Jobu on Feb 6, 2008 12:49 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Seriously though
I wish Pax could somehow get involved in a major shakeup as well. I still can't believe Shaq was able to be traded with that contract and his play.

If the Suns really wanted someone big to pair up against Gasol and the Lakers, Wallace coulda been had for cheaper! A Stoudamire/Wallace front court could defend the inside pretty well against a Gasol/Bynum front court

by Option27 on Feb 6, 2008 10:55 AM CST   0 recs

My head is spinning
from this deal!  There are so many things going on.  

1st - Some are saying that Kerr's primary motivation behind this was to block the Mavs from getting him.  In the suddenly beefy Western Conf, a beast down low is what you need to survive.  This is borderline Red Sox/Yankees where NOT letting the other team get him is equally/more so important then your team getting him.

2nd - This says a lot about Marion.  He's been a malcontent for a couple years now with his trade requests and desire to be "The Man."  Let me get this straight,  he's one of the 12 highest paid players in the NBA, playing in the most fun system with the best PG, AND they've won 60+ games the past two years - and he's not happy?  Hey Shawn: ask Joe Johnson what it's like to be "The Man."

3rd - this is another f'in coup for Riley.  He sheds Shaq's bloated body, game, and contract.  He can finally hand over the reigns to Wade as the face/undisputed leader of the franchise, and if Marion opts out this year, they have the room to sign Brand who wants to be there. He could also let it happen next year as Brand and Marion have the same contract details.  They each can opt out at the end of this year, or let their contract expire after the 2008/09 season.  The Heat currently have the worst record in the NBA, which I expect to improve with Marion, but they're still likely in the top 6.  If they shut Wade down in mid-March, they'll be in full tanking mode in a great PG class.

4th - For the Suns, wow.  What has Kerr done?  What will the playoffs be like?  How much space will Shaq create for the Suns incredible perimeter players?  I don't believe he'll have to run up and down as much b/c the breaks are created out on the perimeter more often then not with steals and intercepted passes.  Now, without Marion, they will likely have fewer.  But if the Suns are running and trying to shoot within the first 5 seconds of the shot clock, I don't think Shaq will even pass half court very often and enable him to set up defensively.

5th - Lakers/Suns just got that much more interesting.  I really hope they meet in the playoffs like the past two years.  

6th - Paging John Paxson  Hello John Paxson??

"You guys won today. You guys won yesterday, so that's two in a row. If you win again tomorrow, that's called a winning streak. IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE."

by Jobu on Feb 6, 2008 10:56 AM CST   0 recs

Instead of lamenting the lack of a trade...
...by the Bulls, I'd rather talk about what this does for the Heat over the next couple of years.
Let us prepare for glory! --Michael Redd

by tyger1147 on Feb 6, 2008 11:10 AM CST   0 recs

Heat
It's a slam dunk for the Heat - especially if Marion opts out this summer instead of next.  If Marion tests the market, the Heat will have saved approx $25 million (Shaq's $40 million - Banks' $15 mil is my math).  They'd have only $32 million committed to next year's payroll and, as we all know, Miami is one of the premiere free agent destinations.  They could sign Elton Brand, who signed there before only to have Sterling match it, and the Heat are crusing towards a lottery pick in a good draft. Best case scenario is that they get Rose.

An added bonus would be turning the franchise completely over to Wade and allowing him to be the unquestioned leader of the team.  Something that would likely never occur in any locker room Shaq is a part of.  

"You guys won today. You guys won yesterday, so that's two in a row. If you win again tomorrow, that's called a winning streak. IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE."

by Jobu on Feb 6, 2008 11:21 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

re: leader
It was also astutely mentioned in a Miami paper that this allows Riley to get a coach without worrying how he'll mesh with Shaq.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 6, 2008 11:32 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Right!
MyMan...Your?ManSam comes through again.  

by Jobu on Feb 6, 2008 11:37 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Can we get the Mavs to take Wallace now?
Maybe Cuban will panic now that the Lakers and Suns have acquired big men.  Hell, I'd even take Erick Dampier for him.  At least the Bulls wouldn't feel any irrational need to play Dampier, like they do with Wallace.

by Big D on Feb 6, 2008 11:33 AM CST   0 recs

not sure about that
but the premise is sound: with this, all things are possible.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 6, 2008 11:39 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Hahahaha!
This is more likely, if at all.

Teams going for playoff pushes don't usually like to get worse.

Let us prepare for glory! --Michael Redd

by tyger1147 on Feb 6, 2008 12:00 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

why?
would Paxson make this trade? Erick contract is worst and he's not as good as Wallace?  Also imagine having Adian Griffin and Trenton Hassell on the same team for 2 to 3 more years.

by exult463 on Feb 6, 2008 12:36 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

I gotta believe tyger
was being facetious.  That "Hahahaha" in the title tipped me off.
"No, no. Stop talking to me. Someone might notice," Paxson squeaked.

by alec on Feb 6, 2008 12:40 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

No
The Hahahaha, was laughing at the previous trade.

by Kemp on Feb 6, 2008 2:23 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Oh. If that means you were serious
then I'm really confused.  Wouldn't that be a first?
"No, no. Stop talking to me. Someone might notice," Paxson squeaked.

by alec on Feb 6, 2008 2:27 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

I think
you are talking to the wrong person, bud.

by Kemp on Feb 7, 2008 2:13 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

What does this mean for D'Antoni?
This trade could kill this team's chances of ever reaching the Finals.  Plus, it seems to show that Kerr wants to move away from D'Antoni's philosophy of running and going small.  I would love to see Tyrus, Noah, and Deng running the court under his direction.  

by snley on Feb 6, 2008 1:24 PM CST   0 recs

Amen, snley!
And you can add Thabo and (yes, even) Ben Wallace to that list of forwards who should be running the court.

This way, Wallace would be using his relatively light frame (he is outweighed by SG Ron Artest, for example) to his advantage, rather than merely absorbing the wear and tear of the half court game from much larger centers day in and day out.

Basically, the only guys who wouldn't be runners/finishers would be Aaron Gray and Adrian Griffin, who I'm guessing are two of the slowest guys in the league.

"Duhon, don't make that garbage-time jumper... Save it for the next game!"

by bullhockey on Feb 6, 2008 3:07 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Can't Nash opt out
after this season?  Maybe he'd like to follow his old coach.
"No, no. Stop talking to me. Someone might notice," Paxson squeaked.

by alec on Feb 6, 2008 3:12 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

And another thing
this kills the idea that Wade is on the free agent market in a couple of years.  The Heat now have the flexibility to put good players around him.  Wade is off of the list.
Nocioni-Khryapa in '08

by bullshooter on Feb 6, 2008 1:55 PM CST   0 recs

true
it's a pretty flimsy plan from the outset.

LeBron's going to the brooklyn nets, too :)

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 6, 2008 2:32 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

yeah, it was a longshot
but it was something to cling to and maybe prop up the idea that BW's contract had some real plan behind it.  Oh well.
Nocioni-Khryapa in '08

by bullshooter on Feb 6, 2008 2:42 PM CST to parent up   0 recs