Shaq for Marion and Banks in the works...

[nasty daddy]

http://www.miamiherald.com/609/story/407957.html

And Miami had to do something with O'Neal's bloated contract because the team needs to ensure it can keep Dwyane Wade here long-term. Marion is a rental -- rent to buy, possibly. But now Riley will be able to have the money to woo someone like Elton Brand this offseason in what is an overwhelming free-agent class.

It becomes a quick fix for Riley amid yet another overhaul. Wade, Brand and possibly the upcoming No. 1 pick make up a young and formidable core, and you can rest assured that Riley is just getting started once a tumbling Shaq triggers the start of this avalanche. Riley has the expiring contracts of Ricky Davis and Jason Williams, plus a valuable chip in Udonis Haslem, with which to play.

[The Penguin]

I wonder if Miami shouldn't just trade for Elton Brand now. Under the assumption that Brand would go to Miami anyway, Haslem & Williams (plus 2009 1st round pick) for Brand works under the cap. You could even expand the deal to allow the Clippers to get rid of T. Thomas for Ricky Davis's expring. Coupled with a buyout of Sam Cassell and possibly moving Maggette and/or Mobley the Clippers would free themselves up to be players in F/A and get compensation for a player they have a good chance of losing anyway.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/bask ... 241ba.html

The NBA's second blockbuster trade in less than a week shook the Western Conference on Wednesday. Don't expect it to be the catalyst that shakes the Spurs' locker room.

Though both trades obviously alter the complexion of the West, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says he doesn't expect them to alter his team's willingness to make a counter trade one way or another.

"I never feel pressure to make a deal," coach Gregg Popovich said. "We talk to everybody just like all other 29 teams. If something comes along and it makes sense for us, we'll do it. Making deals because you feel pressure would be a recipe for failure."

[bstein14]

According to Steve Kerr's interview on TNT moments ago.

Riley brought this deal to him, and offered Shaq.

Kerr went to his coach and his coach thought it was a deal they should make.

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3235925

The Miami Heat are stuck in the post-Shaq and pre-Shawn Marion era at least for a few more days. Marion and Marcus Banks, acquired Wednesday in a blockbuster trade with the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Shaquille O'Neal, were not in uniform for Miami's game against Philadelphia on Thursday night.

Heat coach Pat Riley said Marion and Banks were undergoing the first parts of their physicals. The test are expected to carry over into Friday. Riley said he hoped to meet with the pair in the afternoon and maybe introduce the two later in the day.

Marion will likely make his Heat debut on Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers.

[#1stunna]

I can actually see the Suns not making the playoffs. I mean when does shaq come back ,and then he has to get his legs up under him,plus team cohesion, then on top of that they're only 5 and a half games from not being in the playoffs. It's a possibility they won't even make the playoffs if theres a injury to 1 of their starters. You trade your best defender for a guy who can barely move up and down the court, plus horrendous at free throw shooting. Then again they do have the All-Star break so that could buy them a little time for shaq's return, but it's still a possiblity. I mean right now with no marion or Shaq they're giving up 132 pts.

got this from another poster. thought it was funny. Is it true the suns are in 1st place but only 5 1/2 games from being 9th? jeez the west is brutal.

I'm still trying to figure out how a high octane team in desperate need of some interior defense trades their best, most versatile defender for a jog up the court, no defense big man. Like I said, we couldn't make this stuff up.

gotta love chad ford

watching shaqs press conference almost made me change my mind about the decision. The mans got charisma & a positive outlook like no other. If the terminator can become governor, watch out for shaqs political career

[nasty daddy]

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/108427

The trade leaves Phoenix with only 12 players on its roster, one shy of the NBA

[#1stunna]

GUYS REMEMBER THIS 1:rofl:



Steve Kerr offers Shawn Marion for Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince and the 15 and 27 picks.

[nasty daddy]

http://info.detnews.com/redesign/blogs/ ... logid=1178

The trade of Shaquille O'Neal from the Eastern Conference to the West could have more ripple affects beyond the immediate. Teams in the East, including the Pistons have been engineering their rosters to cope with playoff clashes with O'Neal. Players such as Dale Davis and Elden Campbell have been brought on board as "Shaq insurance", namely, good for fouls on him during the playoffs.

Pistons coach Flip Saunders was asked if there are any dominant centers left in the East to plan for.

"You still have (Dwight) Howard to look at, now he's kind of the center that's evolving as maybe one of the most dominant in the league," Saunders said. "Let's put it this way: you're no longer going to have to carry three or four big guys to waste fouls. Before you'd have them to waste fouls on Shaq. Now you won't have to do that anymore."

[HeroicKennedy]

GUYS REMEMBER THIS 1:rofl:



Steve Kerr offers Shawn Marion for Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince and the 15 and 27 picks.

You know, they never disclosed WHO the Suns were trading. The more I think about it, the more I suspect it was Stoudamire and not Marion. For one thing, at the time the Suns were trying to dump salary. If I recall, Amare makes more than Marion, and they were feuding at the time. If they wanted to drop salary and solve a problem, even if Amare was better, his deal was longer and for more money.

To demand that much for Marion alone seems very silly, especially with the trade that's gone down now. I mean, we may overrate our players, but Wallace, Prince, Afflalo, Stuckey > Shaq.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/ar ... n0208.html

Marion was right there with you Tuesday night. He saw a report on ESPN just as his cellphone began ringing like mad."I was shocked at first," Marion said Thursday night from Miami, where he is scheduled for a physical today. "It happens. Everything happens for a reason. We could get deep into it, but what's done is done. I wish everybody in Phoenix good luck."

Marion offered no criticism of the Suns for ending an 8 1/2-year marriage. Only Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce had longer current tenures with one NBA team.

He has hope that he can help a team with the league's worst record (9-39) still make the playoffs despite being 10 1/2 games out of the eighth spot."Definitely, we can help change it around," Marion said. "Anything can happen in the Eastern Conference."

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3235925

How Marion handles the switch from Phoenix's up-tempo offense to Miami's deliberate game should be interesting. "He has been playing a style out there where there is a shot every seven seconds," Riley said. "Here, he's gonna think we're all playing in concrete boots.

Without O'Neal, and with Alonzo Mourning sidelined with a torn right patella and quadriceps tendon, Riley acknowledged the Heat will become a more perimeter-based offensive team. "We have to," Riley said. "Right now, if you take a look at our team, we're younger, we have become more flexible and we have two very productive players at their positions in Shawn and [Dwyane] Wade.

Riley admitted having mixed emotions heading into to the Heat's latest rebuilding project. "It's a little scary," he said. "Sometimes it doesn't work. I think we've done it three times in Miami now. ... If you have the flexibility and the right players, you can turn it around real quick. Look at Boston.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archi ... on_friday/

Pat Riley and the Miami Heat have scheduled a press conference to introduce the team's latest editions Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks on Friday at 3:30 p.m., the team announced to RealGM.

Both players were acquired for Shaquille O'Neal on Wednesday, and it is anticipated they'll be in uniform when the Heat take on the Lakers on Sunday in Miami.

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3237621

He hopes Marion, a four-time All-Star forward, and point guard Marcus Banks -- whom Miami acquired Wednesday in the stunning deal that sent O'Neal to the Phoenix Suns -- are the first two pieces in a quick rebuilding project in South Florida.

"Today is really about change, it's about moving on, it's about getting on with what's going to happen in the Miami Heat's future," Riley said. "And these are two people who are going to start that."

Marion averaged 15.8 points and 9.9 rebounds in 47 games this season with the Suns, with career averages of 18.4 points and 10 rebounds, and can also defend just about anyone on the floor. He has a $17 million player option for next season, yet indicated that if he had to choose now, he'd lean toward staying in Miami. "I'm here and I'm ready for a new start," Marion said. "I'm in it for the long haul."Banks, in his fifth NBA campaign, averaged 5.2 points primarily as Steve Nash's backup with the Suns this season. He's only started 35 times since entering the league, and has rarely gotten the consistent minutes that all players crave.