This year in basketball saw an unfathomed number of moves of players to much different teams.
The Boston Celtics started it all off—setting the bar impossibly high when they got Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in the offseason.
The wild changes would really start when Pau Gasol went to the Lakers and every western team got into an arms race. Dallas would go on to trade their future away for Jason Kidd, and The Phoenix Suns traded one of their franchise players for one that is said to be at the end of his career.
If anyone told you Shawn Marion would go to the Miami Heat for Shaquille O'Neal, you would surely have laughed like I did when speculation of this trade first made it to the media. But when it was confirmed, it seemed jaws dropped in amazement.
It was hard to swallow, especially as a Suns fan, but after some long deliberation, it appeared that those put in charge of the Suns organization after one of the best GM's of the day, Brian Colangelo, left actually had a plan. The way they say it, the current big three of Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, and Marion was apparently not working, and led them to the being eliminated from the playoffs before the final.
They were fed up with not making it to the championship series, and with rumor going around that Marion wanted to be traded, the decision was logical. Trade a young intense small forward/power forward for one of the most recognizable and dominant centers the sport has seen.
Marion is the more talented of the two, but he lacks the defensive mind that Shaq does, as well as the dominant presence.
The Suns guaranteed Marion a six-year $80 million deal, so it would be hard to push on someone and get a fair return for him.
Shaq fit all these requirements, and so the trade was made.
Now we see the results—the Suns are on the brink of elimination in the playoffs and it seems nothing has changed.
Is it possible that the Suns are just choke artists in the playoffs? Or is it that Nash, Amare, and Barbosa have found their kryptonite in Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs.
It seems that the defending champs are the real deal, playing some of the most boring basketball one will ever see. Having the rings to back up their play, no one can really say much. The Spurs are a dynamically defensive team, their late season runs and championships mean they are doing something right.
The Suns, however, good they may be, seem to always be on the losing end of the spectrum.
The new slower Suns are good, and if not for San Antonio, they would no doubt be on their way to the championship.
Will they ever beat San Antonio?
Not with this team, the Suns are an amazing balance of talent and size, but their lack of a bench really hurts them.
Unlike some teams who have two confident big men, like the 76ers with Samuel Dalembert and Reggie Evans, or Lakers with Gasol and Andrew Bynum, the list goes on.
The Suns have a weak bench, without Grant Hill, it's even worse.
As long as the Spurs have the outstanding defensive mind that the coach and players have, and the Suns are still looking for a deeper bench that can grab boards and hold a lead, the Suns will never beat the Spurs in a playoff series.
The Suns need to gel a bit better, and find a big man for their bench and find some role players who will not squander a massive lead accrued by the big four.
If they ever want to contend with the Spurs these things have to happen, and until then, they will remain the worst of the best in the West.
9 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Ian Zymarakis about 1 year ago
Shaq and Amare>Dalembert and Evans... Evans is overrated I think, Philly in general just caught lightning in a bottle to win 2 games this series. As far as Marion goes I personally wish Marion was still here in Phoenix because his defense is better then Shaqs, and Marion was quick enough to guard somebody like parker or Ginobli, two players Nash obviously cant hang with. The Suns arent out yet though, I think they can get this thing back to Phoenix for game 6.... good read.
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Andrew Ungvari about 1 year ago
"The Suns arent out yet though, I think they can get this thing back to Phoenix for game 6"
This is why Phoenix fans are the laughingstock of the NBA. It's one thing to be optimistic. It's another to be myopic and delusional.
The Suns are done.
Their window has closed.
Shaq has 2 years and $40 million left on his contract.
They won't trade Nash or Stoudemire. Nobody wants Hill or Shaq. They cannot afford to trade Bell or Barbosa because one is their only good defender and the other one has the dumbest agent in sports (3 more years and $19.8 milllion).
That leaves Boris and his horrible contract (4 more years at $9 million per) and the 15th pick in the draft as their only assets I see them parting with. They better get someone good with that Atlanta pick because they're over the cap. Whatever part of their mid-level they'd use would count twice against the cap so don't count on them getting anyone significant.
Spurs, Jazz, Hornets and Lakers fans are praying D'Antoni doesn't get fired. If only he cared about defense as much as he cares about grooming his 'stache.
On the bright side, they're in great financial shape to make a run at D-Wade or LeBron in 2010. LeBron's a long-shot but D-Wade is a definite possibility.
With the Blazers on the up, don't be surprised to see Los Suns in the 7th or 8th spot next year.
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Ian Zymarakis about 1 year ago
^^^ this coming from a Lakers fan who most likely jumped back on their bandwagon this season because they are extremely good....
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Andrew Ungvari about 1 year ago
If by jumping on the bandwagon you're referring to me being an uninterrupted season-ticket holder since 1989 then you're right.
I lived through Sedale Threatt, Antonio Harvey, George Lynch, Anthony Peeler, Reggie Jordan, Doug Christie, Benoit Benjamin, Cedric Ceballos, Trevor Wilson, Danny Schayes, Sam Bowie.
More recently I had to put up with Smush Parker, Kwame Brown, Jumaine Jones and Tierre Brown.
I was going to games when you were still in diapers.
I hope you don't break a leg or ankle jumping off the Suns' bandwagon.
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Ian Zymarakis about 1 year ago
if you mean bandwagon do you mean cheering for a team my whole life? I may be 20 but I know the Suns history. From the drug scandal during the mid to late 80's to trading away Barkley for pieces of shit, for picking up Marbury and ever letting Kidd go.
I have also had to deal with some pretty bad players in my time alive as a Suns fan.
I to had Danny Schayes, Cedric Ceballos, Oliver Miller, Horacio Llamas, Jake Tsakalidis, Hot Rod Williams, Luc Longley.
You aren't the only one with a sense of history. It must of been real tough to deal with the Showtime Era of the Lakers, god how difficult that must've been to witness your team win NBA Titles.
The one period Suns fans can look back and be proud about is our 92-93 Finals run with Barkley and the 76 Finals where Garfield Heard hit the shot at the buzzer to send the game to OT, and we didn't even win that game either.
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Ryan Staab about 1 year ago
Ian, I'd throw Tom Gugliotta in there as well. I never thought the guy was as good as the Suns management thought he was.
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Andrew Ungvari about 1 year ago
I'm not questioning your sense of history. You called me a bandwagon fan. You defended yourself as if I called you a bandwagon fan. Suns fans aren't bandwagon fans. They're just lame. Every loss is because of the refs or suspension. Every trade is brilliant at the time it's made. Every 0-3 deficit is still a possibility in a 7-game series.
Here's a history lesson: 4/28/08 - The day the Suns window closed. Do you realize that the Suns only played 5 more games than the Heat?
Enjoy more 9-for-20s from Shaquille at the line when he's 37 and 38.
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Lisa Jackson about 1 year ago
All the fun is in the anticipation---even 40 years worth!
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Alessandro Lobalsamo about 1 year ago
Thanks alot for the comments everyone, glad you guys enjoyed my first article, and didnt rip it appart. There will be many many more to come, I promise.
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