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Suns fan here. Please rate the Shaq trade! I would be interested to see your take on this deal. Seems many of us, who are Suns fans, are not thrilled. Either our GM blinked and accepted a 2nd round pick when we should have had your first round pick or we didn't want the first round pick because of the fact a first round contract has guarenteed money. Personally, I think your GM did an outstanding job. My gut says he leveraged the threat of a Tyson Chandler deal to get the Suns to accept a 2nd rounder. No way would you have taken Tyson's salary hit during the 2010 free agent period. Congrats to you.

im okay with it...just waiting to see what other moves follow this one (especially for a pf and athletic wing)

w&g certainly has me excited about forthcoming opportunities for the cavs

The Suns didn't have a choice, but to bite the bullet and move on.

I too am ok with this move and see it only as an initial move to address a weakness for an inside player.

Two teams, looking for two different things. Both got what they wanted.

Agree with leveraging the Chandler deal to get Phx to pull the trigger. Think Phx wanted the unguaranteed money vs. #30.

Fair trade. You guys didn't lose anything.

I think its a fair trade. Phoenix clears cap and we get a guy to help out in the playoffs.

The Suns get rid of a 20M dent in their cap, but lose a talented big man.

The Cavs desperate for frontcourt help, as well as granting LBJ's wish, and get the biggest load in the game at 38, but take on a final year 20M salary hurting any chance of getting any other player of note in LBJ's last year of his contract. Shaq didn't play in back to back games last season. LBJ gets to the rim so easily, does it hurt LBJ's penetration? It hurt Nash's.

I'd say it was a fair trade for both.

Suns fan it's the state of the NBA right now/economy, trades like this continue to happen that never happened before high priced good players being traded for garbage to aleve salary space. The PHX owner needs to sell the team, he does this every off season.

I think it was fair too..
In today's economy those expiring deals have alot of value and I don't think there were alot of offers for Shaq. If the Suns were in an economic bind and had to dump Shaq or Amare for expirings then I think they made the wise choice.

actually Shaq played in what 70 plus games last year didn't he?

Shaq played in 75 games to be exact..... more than Steve Nash did.

Fair for both teams.

What is the latest W&G is saying?

Really depends what he's got left in the tank

Both teams got what they wanted.

For the Cavs there is literally zero downside. He does everything Wallace can and more, and if he's an absolute disaster you can ship him off at the deadline as an expiring. All it cost was money that Gilbert couldn't have used if Wallace retired.

Do you think Shaq will be an all-star next season?

Marc wrote:Do you think Shaq will be an all-star next season?

Most likely. Although, he won't be starting over Howard.

tidho wrote:Both teams got what they wanted.

For the Cavs there is literally zero downside. He does everything Wallace can and more, and if he's an absolute disaster you can ship him off at the deadline as an expiring. All it cost was money that Gilbert couldn't have used if Wallace retired.

Exactly. Perfect.

The Cavs just gain a starter, one who possibly may fit their needs. In addition, the contract can be traded if need-be if it doesn't work out, but the upside is certainly there if it does. Also, you can just go back to last year's starting line-up (assuming Varejao comes back) if Shaq hinders the team in any way.

Basically, the deal cost a little money and the fact that the Cavs have one less contract they use for other trades.

Shaq played 75 games last season, and I recall the Suns were resting him on the 2nd leg of back-to-backs. 75 games, the most he's played since 94-95. And .595 free-throw% the highest since 02-03 because he went back to the free-throw technique his Dad taught him in high school