DB.com proposes Shaq for Howard

[Amen316]

Actually this trade will not happen because this would in a sense mean the whole slow down game was a failure.... I doubt its the time to be trying to go small ball without Marion, Bell, and Diaw.

Phoenix had this year by all accounts as its final year of small ball under Steve(age_) but now this team may be placing itself squarely into the realm of confusion. It is clear not one player, coach, or management understands with all honesty whether this is a playoff team or not.
It could fall to the 9th seed and the confusion and finger pointing will increase dramatically.

[jaypo]

Wadeknicks2010:

If "homer" means that you have a favorite player, then you're 100% correct. Shaq is my favorite player. He has been since high school. But I'm also a fan of the game. And when I see a bunch of young multi millionaires that play a freakin' game for a living whine about things but do nothing to change those things, it pisses me off. My point is that you have a 2 time MVP pg, the most athletic and explosive PF in the game, and a whole crop of talented role players, and the team is fighting to stay in the playoff picture. You can take Shaq out of this equation. Let's say Yao and Shaq switched places. The Suns are tired of winning a bunch of games, but none when it counts, so they trade a whiny player, although a good one, who would have left for FA after his contract expired so he could be "the man" elsewhere. (BTW- how is he doing in Miami?) In return, they get the most dominant big man in decades (insert Yao, Howard, Dampier, I don't care. I'm taking the "homerism" out of it for you) to bolster the defense, leadership, and toughness. For half a season, the team bought into it and they did well until the playoffs. Chalk that up to not enough time together. So the coach leaves because he didn't agree with management that they should maybe play a little defense to avoid getting bounced in the first round again. Again, he pouted because he was told to buy into a culture of WINNING even though it strayed from what he wanted to do. The coach leaves, and the star PG pouts again, but the PF is happy with the change. Now, a new coach comes in a stresses something foreign to the players- DEFENSE. You know, it's what wins championships and stuff! But now, PG doesn't want to have to do that because he CAN'T, and the PF can't do it because he has to save his legs for his gorilla game because he wants to be THE MAN. Then, the team trades away the PG's BFF, so he has to pout a little about that also. So the Suns play the Bobcats and the PF gets torched by the man they traded away, and it becomes obvious that they should have given him away and kept the man that torched him!!!!! So no one buys into the system, and it is failing miserably. Meanwhile, the 2 oldest players on the team are busting their arses and producing after being rejuvinated after injury riddled careers. Shaq is averaging the same #'s as Yao, and GHill is playing like the DPOY. But the PG continues to turn the ball over at a ridiculous pace, and the PF is still pouting about not being THE MAN, although he refuses to play defense or fight for rebounds. So you see, Wadeknicks2010, just because I like certain players doesn't make my observations any less relevant. Obviously, you enjoy DWade. I mean, unless your name happens to be Wade, you obviously are a Wade homer. Right? Because I have a favorite player, I'm obviously a homer. What does that say about people that call themselves by basketball players' names? You use his name as your own! At least I use my own name!! So call me a homer, or whatever you want. When you contribute something good to this conversation, then you can instruct people to pay me no mind. But until then, you should let the others on this board decide what they care to do on their own. I'm sure they're intelligent enough to do so.

My post has less to do with my players of preference and more to do with what I see out of the entire team. And when I see grown men whining because they can't just run up and down the court and fire up 3's all day, and that they actually have to get their hands dirty and play defense, all the while making more money than I'll ever see in my lifetime, I have as much right to voice my displeasure as they do. (At least until the current administration abolishes my right to voice my own opinion!!!!)

[jaypo]

PS- quick rundown of my arguments on the Yao vs Shaq board- I used the players' numbers and team record at the time to prove my point, and all I heard as a rebuttal was "So what. Yao is still better." And the best argument of all- "Just look at the number of people on this thread that think Yao is better. That proves it right there!". So obviously, I was up against a few brain surgeons from Houston in that battle!

[lilfishi22]

yeah for DWIGHT. But we're stacked at the 2-3. No point really

[TASTIC]

I just don't see Kerr back tracking from the Shaq deal. He'll look foolish...but then again he can't look a lot worse than he already does

I'd love phungk's deal...but there's always a reason why Suns fans love these trades, because they're not realistic