RealGM

I still dont understand exactly why Marion was traded. What exactly was the problem? Because of all the reaction people had to say was he a bad presence in the locker room or was the front office more with appeasing amare?

There were alot of reasons

-He was a locker room cancer according to the Suns and media

-He wanted to be paid almost 20M a year

-He wanted a long term deal and he was pushing 30, that would have messed up the Suns rebuilding plans after Shaq/Nash left

-He didn't want to be the 3rd option behind Nash and Amare

This pretty much sums it up

What Marvy said..

Well, David Griffin and Mike D'Antoni have said that he wasn't happy in Phoenix anymore and I remember Kerr saying they didn't want to give him a 5 year extension (or something like that)

But I think all this talk about him being a locker-room cancer has been blown out of proportion; from all accounts he was very well liked by the team except for Amare; it's been rumored that the two of them didn't really get along.

[quote="The Diesel"]Well, David Griffin and Mike D'Antoni have said that he wasn't happy in Phoenix anymore quote]

Not just them, but Marion publically expressed his displeassure in being here. I remember he said he loved the fans, it was just the organization he was unhappy with. I think he really believed a team would give him 20mil, and has found he won't even get close to that.

We had two options.

1. Let Marion walk after refusing our attempts to resign him to a more reasonable contract and get nothing in return.

2. Bring in an aging superstar, fill a need we've had for some time, sell boatloads of jerseys because of said aging superstar and unload a bad contract that we had while creating amazing cap space in a fantastic free agent market.

marion was a great player, but had the personality of an scrub... all said.

scootfu602 wrote:

The Diesel wrote:Well, David Griffin and Mike D'Antoni have said that he wasn't happy in Phoenix anymore quote]

Not just them, but Marion publically expressed his displeassure in being here. I remember he said he loved the fans, it was just the organization he was unhappy with. I think he really believed a team would give him 20mil, and has found he won't even get close to that.

--- Aside from having a bizarrely inflated idea of his worth in the NBA market, Shawn said on many occasions he was pissed at seeing his name in trade rumours over and over. That this meant the Suns didn't value him or something.
Great, great player, nice guy from everything I've heard and seen, but some kind of insecurity/ego problems.
Dealing him was unavoidable, sadly, given we were going to lose him and get nothing back, as has been pointed out previously.

Friend of mine works over at Fox Sports Net as a reporter. He said Marion was a good guy, but cried a lot over everything. He said it was best interest for the Suns to make the trade that they did. That was the major reason. His crying, which lead to unhappiness.

Itmotep wrote:Friend of mine works over at Fox Sports Net as a reporter. He said Marion was a good guy, but cried a lot over everything. He said it was best interest for the Suns to make the trade that they did. That was the major reason. His crying, which lead to unhappiness.

-- Aw geez, there's no crying in basketball

Sounds like he was unhappy with the organization, and the organization was tired of the fact that he was unhappy. I don't buy the locker room cancer BS; if anybody saw the "NBA Stories: Phoenix Suns" special, they can back me up.

But I think Marion is probably happy to be in Miami now; Wade has looked amazing in the Olympics and Beasley was the best player in College Basketball last year.

Plus, getting Chalmers in the second round was a great move and I think Udonis Haslem is one of the most under-rated players in the NBA.

They also signed James Jones this summer.

Also, doesn't Florida have one of, if not the single lowest state income tax? If true, this would mean that he (and the other Heat/ Magic players) would see more of their actual salary than if they played on other teams.. unless the league has a means of evening that out.

The Diesel wrote:But I think all this talk about him being a locker-room cancer has been blown out of proportion; from all accounts he was very well liked by the team except for Amare; it's been rumored that the two of them didn't really get along.

That's just 100% wrong. All of the coaches had to walk on egg shells around Marion for fear that they might upset him. He was a whiney little superstar that didn't get enough pub. That's all there is to it. He didn't get along with a lot of the guys and none of the coaches were big fans. That's a FACT. An it's also true that he and Amare didn't get along...you got that part right.

My only issue was that the few times I have interacted with Shawn was that he was AWESOME. The best damn guy on the team it seemed. I guess he's just better with the fans than most of the other guys...from a personality standpoint anyway.

Marion was fine in the locker room, people were just looking for an excuse to get him out.

Marion was traded because Miami offered to take both he AND Marcus Banks off their hands, while giving Phnx legitimacy in the post, depreciating as it may be. More importantly, Phnx will save over 2 million this yr, even adding in another contract to fill the roster on this 2 for the BIG ONE. We have Shaq in 09 for 20 mill... and Miami has Banks in 09 + 10 for a total of 9.1 mill. Marion would be gone from either team next yr, due to his cartoonish self worth. Phnx frees up a chunk of change in 10/11 (to resign Amare and ?) while maintaining resonable control over their budget with 9 guys inked to then. You have to remember, every decision this front orfice makes is beancounted first and foremost.

Though Shaq puts people in the seats, Marion made them stand. And to think, had he not been so tempermantal, KG very well may have been here instead of Shaq. Thats all I have to remember to get over the Matixal departure.

PHXTERROR1987 wrote:Marion was fine in the locker room, people were just looking for an excuse to get him out.

And you would be 100% wrong. All you gotta do is read 07 Seconds or Less and then multiply it by 10 over the past two years and you have your answer. He was a whiney 17 million dollar player. I love the guy...and he's probably the nicest dude on the team when it comes to my interactions with him, but he's got a TON of psychological issues and he just didn't fit in the Suns locker room.

MaryvalesFinest wrote:-He wanted to be paid almost 20M a year

I dont think thats right. At the early part of the off-season, Riley and Marion talk of an extension. According to the Miami Herald, Marion ask for $13m starting salary but Riley's offer is believe to be arround $11m. This puts me a lot of doubt he ask for $20m which is too way far from what he is asking from the Heat.

-He wanted a long term deal and he was pushing 30, that would have messed up the Suns rebuilding plans after Shaq/Nash left

What are you talking about???
The Suns trade Marion for Shaq, and how could they end up playing together?

This quote is one proof that you're just guessing whats behind Marion and the Suns.

Hoops23 wrote:I dont think thats right. At the early part of the off-season, Riley and Marion talk of an extension. According to the Miami Herald, Marion ask for $13m starting salary but Riley's offer is believe to be arround $11m. This puts me a lot of doubt he ask for $20m which is too way far from what he is asking from the Heat.

He wanted a MAX contract extention from the Suns. He felt he deserved it if Amare did. So he was making 17 already, so it goes up what, 15% each year? So he'd be at 20 mil in a year or two, max. So he definitely was asking for a ton of money. Now, once he got to Miami, things changed because his game changed. The Suns fit Shawn great...he didn't fit so well on the horrible Heat, so his value has already dropped a little bit. Obviously Riley thought so if they only offered 11 mil. It's just another example of a player over valuing himself. That's all.

The Diesel wrote:Well, David Griffin and Mike D'Antoni have said that he wasn't happy in Phoenix anymore and I remember Kerr saying they didn't want to give him a 5 year extension (or something like that)

But I think all this talk about him being a locker-room cancer has been blown out of proportion; from all accounts he was very well liked by the team except for Amare; it's been rumored that the two of them didn't really get along.

I see it the way Diesel sees it - Marion was unhappy, and was ready to up and leave without getting a Max extension. Plus, feeling like he was an afterthought as the 3rd go to guy behind Amare and Nash damaged his ego. Such a pity, I know. Marion and Joe Johnson, if you had've settled for a bit less then you may have already had an NBA Championship by now....