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Shaq On the Way Out of Miami?
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Location: Blogs The Sports Blog |
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| Posted by: Gregory Broome |
2/5/2008 9:49 PM |
The Miami Herald reported Tuesday that the Miami Heat are engaged in "serious talks" with the Phoenix Suns about a trade involving center Shaquille O'Neal. The other side of the deal would have Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks heading to Miami.
My analysis: It's kind of harsh, seeing that we're just under two years removed from Shaq delivering that championship parade Pat Riley promised so many years ago, but it makes sense. This version of the Miami Heat is broken beyond the point where a cagey veteran signing or a single smart trade could help. Due to financial constraints, Riley's hubris or just bad basketball decisions, most of the quality support players to help Miami to its first NBA title in '06 was allowed to leave, from James Posey to Jason Kapono to Antoine Walker. Coupled with Wade's mounting injury history and Shaq's inevitable decline, the current model of the Heat cannot and will not win.
And so drastic action is needed, and this would be drastic action. Wade is the future, and RIley needs to keep him happy. The only way to do that is to spend money on good players, and to spend money, he has to have money. The Heat don't have money to spend because Shaq is getting $20 million per. As recently as 18 months ago, he was worth that cap hold. Last year, he wasn't, and this year, he's Ben Wallace with more personality - almost a pure salary albatross. It's amazing the Knicks aren't involved in these talks, assuming they're not.
The article says Shaq is hurt by these talks, and I can understand why. For a player of such historic significance, he's kind of been jerked around a lot. Don't feel bad for the guy, because he's been well-compensated for it. But if the Heat cut bait, it will mean all three of his teams have given him a gentle nudge, if not a full-fledged kick, to the curb.
The Magic wanted Shaq, but came in with an insulting low-ball offer, and Shaq never really listened after that. You could argue that he had his eyes on Hollywood anyway, but the Magic sure didn't help their case. The Lakers, believe what you will about the Kobe-Shaq feud, chose the younger Bryant over their franchise center, and now look pretty astute, depending on how your value system processes short-term winning over long-term viability. And now the Heat, the team that truly cemented Shaq's messianic complex, is ready to move him in a pure salary dump. Sure, Marion's good, but if he didn't have that $17 million opt-out this summer this wouldn't even be on the table. Miami wants the freedom to put the kind of players around Wade that Wade wants to play with. This deal makes that happen.
As for Phoenix, have a look at this starting 5:
C Shaquille O'Neal
PF Amare Stoudemire
SF Boris Diaw
SG Raja Bell
PG Steve Nash
6th Leandro Barbosa
7th Grant Hill
That's straight up nasty, and it potentially sets up a Shaq vs. Kobe conference final, considering the Gasol trade I broke down earlier this evening. Assuming Dallas takes a dive again and the Spurs follow their one-year-up one-year-down pattern, we might be on the verge of the most exciting playoff series in many a year.
It makes sense for both sides. And it makes sense for us followers of the league. The playoffs are a better place with Shaq in them. |
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