Shaq to Phoenix...

Shaq is a fatass with an attitude but I wouldn't want to be a West team facing a the Suns (w/ a healthy?? Shaq) in the playoffs. Amare and Shaq inside will be ready-made for a more traditional playoff style of play.

This just improved the Suns defense greatly.

They do seem to be gambling on winning a championship in the next 2 years...maybe just this year.

Overall, the Matrix was going to walk after this year so if you can rent a Shaq for a year or two and potentailly improve your playoff chances why wouldn't you do this deal?
 
Seattle,
I'm going to have to respectfully disagree. It's not even if he's healthy.... he's done. Shaq is washed up. This was the first year that he ever came into camp in shape, and he couldn't bring it any more. His skills have been diminishing since 2003, and they've suffered a precipitous drop off this year. He's nothing close to being a dominant player or even a competent post defender any more. He is a shell of his former self.
In reply to:
Click to expand...
 
What a desperate move. Shaq will barely be able to keep up with his teammates if they run up-tempo. Conversely, how do you morph all those players into a half-court offense for the sake of Shaq?
confused.gif
 
While my initial reaction was wtf are they doing, after some thought, I will hold off on trashing this trade until I see them play about 10 games with the new lineup. There a couple of positive aspects to this move:

1.) Marion was gone after this season no matter what, so you're basically talking about losing one guy for half a season. A guy that was basically a cancer in the locker room. There is no doubt that Shaq is a shell of his former self, but he is the kind of guy that other players rally around and love to have in the locker room.

2.) Now when Shaq is in the game, you can move Amare to power forward which I think is better fit for him.

3.)Nash can get anyone the ball near the hoop and when Shaq catches it 3 feet away, theres still nobody in the league that's gonna stop him from scoring on a regular basis.

I really don't know how the hell he is gonna fit in with the running style they employ, but I guess when they run it will be 4 on 5, and in the half court they have two big bodies which will be a matchup problem. Its a risky move, but its not like the Suns were two-time defending champs and breaking up a winning formula. They still have plenty of talent and maybe this is a move that gets them over the hump. Good move or bad, Kerr definitely has some balls.
 
i cant believe the suns would shake up their team like this after all the success they have had in they playoffs and rings they have won.

this is a knee jerk reaction trade to the lakers aquiring pau gasol. i know there had been rumors of this trade before the gasol deal, but phoenix was almost forced to make a big move like this to bolster their inside presence. the pacific division will be a fun race to watch. i mean when i finally tune in during the last two weeks of the season.
 
my guess is that shaq will figure out pretty quickly that after a suns defensive rebound or opponents made basket, if he just stays in the paint with no attempt to go on offense with his teammates, that the ball will be right back to his end of the court in around 8 seconds most of the time. since he's a lazy mofo to begin with, he'll meander longer and longer. and when the suns want or need to play offense 5 on 5, they'll sit him.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Weekly Prediction Contest

Predict TEXAS-ARIZONA STATE

CFP Round 2 • Peach Bowl
Wed, Jan 1 • 12:00 PM on ESPN
AZ State game and preview thread


Chik-fil-A Peach Bowl website

Recent Threads

Prediction Results Threads

2024 Schedules

Back
Top