Desert Dud?: Why Shaquille O'Neal Won't Work in Phoenix

I'm a devoted Lakers fan and I've seen plenty of O'Neal, even in his days at Miami (because I simply hated the Heat at that time). If you're willing to admit that Shaq can average six points per game in the Suns' offense, so be it—you can stop reading from here on out. Otherwise, you can only wonder what happens when he does receive the ball, if you've avoided watching him all these years.

Here's a secret: Putting the ball in Shaq's hands will not only delay the offense, but also keep it out of Steve Nash's hands. If the Suns want to score in seven seconds or less, they might want to do that with Shaq riding the pine.

3) He still can't hit his free throws.

Phoenix shoots at nearly 79 percent from the charity stripe. (At this time, they are tied for fifth in the NBA.) Within the final three or four minutes of the fourth quarter, the Suns can unload a massive amount of points because of their speed and ability to get to the foul line. They wear their opponents down.

In Los Angeles, Miami, and Orlando, the fans will be the first to admit that Shaq does not belong on the court late in a close game.

With that in mind, how does Phoenix set up an offense against a powerful Spurs and Lakers team in the playoffs with O'Neal on the bench? You can depend on Amare, but what happens back down the court?

O'Neal won't be there to defend the likes of Duncan or Bynum/Gasol in that situation, and if he is on the court, expect him to go to the line and miss his free throws instead.

Kerr and the organization seem to think they have brought in one of the best defensive centers in the NBA. Quite frankly, they are missing out on at least 10 better options.

Alonzo Mourning, who was underrated for his services in Miami the last two or three years, averaged more blocks per game this season, all while playing a full quarter less than Shaq. O'Neal has also picked up an average of four fouls in less than 30 minutes per contest, a statistic he nearly reached two years ago as well.

Even then, Shaq's body is his greatest enemy, causing him to miss a mass amount of games in his last three seasons. Excluding this season, Shaq has only played in a total of 99 games in his last two years, which is just 17 games more than a full NBA year. After missing a number of games for Miami this year, Shaq's weight is said to be down to an amazing 312 pounds in earlier reports, now listed at 324, but the weight loss may not reflect his work ethic more than it does his injury status and his age, and dropping 20 or 30 pounds in less than a couple of months is tough on the human heart.

Phoenix needed to roll the dice, but trading for an aging, half-court monster in Shaquille O'Neal may fatally wound the Suns for years, especially with Nash's back problems and father time at his doorstep.

The Miami Heat nearly sacrificed their future for one ring (and that could still be the case), but with Phoenix out in the tougher conference, running an incompatible offense and not having a Phil Jackson or a Pat Riley coaching Shaq in practices and during games, the trade makes little to no sense for a team that was one hip-check away from the NBA Finals last season.

Look on the bright side: If it falls through, the Knicks have enough to offer for Shaq.

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