Bleacher Report - Articles by Dave Huet

Shawn Marion, Jermaine O'Neal Deal: A Fantasy Exclusive

Dave Huet — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:43:17 -0500

ESPN reports that the Heat have worked out a trade to send Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Raptors for Jermaine O'Neal and Jamario Moon. It's a trade we all heard was going to happen for weeks, but they finally found a way to make the deal happen.

Fantasy Effect

Well, Shawn Marion was not producing at his old level with the Heat this year. I would expect his value to spike, but not to reach the epic levels he did with the Suns' run-and-gun style.

For all of those that drafted Mike Beasley, this is a good day for you. With Marion gone, Beasley should be getting more looks at the forward spot, as I expect O'Neal to be the starting center (when his knees allow).

Andrea Bargnani will now be the starting center for the Raptors. I assume they will go with a huge lineup of Marion at small forward, Bosh at power forward (when he's healthy again), and Andrea at center.

But anyone who knows Andrea knows he plays Dirk-like, or Rasheed, or Okur, so expect more of those solid rebounds mixed with a handful of treys in his stat-line. My prediction is 16 points, six rebounds, and two assists, along with 1.5 three-pointers made a night. This is a huge value spike and I would advise grabbing him if you can.

Jermaine O'Neal's value is still about the same. While Shaq's numbers jumped this year with a new team (after getting traded from the Heat last year), the boost wasn't immediate.

Furthermore, we just don't know how much gas is left in Jermaine's tank (or the millage on his knees!) so we have a classic wait-and-see situation.

Jamario Moon will also be about the same value. Will he start at small forward with Beasley at power forward? Maybe. Will Beasley be the three and Haslem be the four? Probably. But it's a coin flip, and something the team will probably toy with for a little bit before they get it right.

P.S. On a personal note why couldn't this deal happen yesterday—before Marion got a game-winning dunk on my Bulls?

Original

February 6, 2008: The Basketball Apocalypse

Dave Huet — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:04:47 -0500

I encourage you to listen to REM's (or Riddlin' Kids cover of) "It's the End of the World as We Know It" while you read this.

Or "American Pie," but you need to sing "The day basketball died..."

Welcome to today's illogical events:

1. The Matrix is swapped for the Big Aristotle.

Does this mean the complete end of the Suns' Run-and-Gun? The Heat suddenly have the potential to be really good with Marion, Wade, and a top three pick in next year's draft.

The brightest spot in the whole deal is the amped-up Suns/Lakers rivalry. Over the last two seasons it has become one of the greatest match-ups in the NBA and now you bring Shaq back but in some new digs—that could be fantastic.

2. EARL WATSON?

Triple double for Earl Watson, are you kidding me?

23 pts, 10 boards, 10 assists (plus two takeaways, and a block, with a three from downtown). Oh, and on top of it he shot 75 percent and didn't miss a freebie.

3. The Suns and Hornets go to double O.T. 130-132.

Chris Paul ties a statistical achievement that hasn't been done since MJ: 42 pts, nine dimes, eight steals. Nash statistically does something that hasn't been done since Stockton: 32 pts, 12 dimes, ten turnovers (but since it involves ten t.o. it's not quite as nice of a feather in the cap.)

And none of the superstars are the hero of the night, because Peja makes the game winner with less than a second left on the clock.

4. The Hawks manage to off the new found Mega-Lakers.

In that game, a rookie named Horford gets 20 boards. In the same game, Josh Smith shoots 63 percent for 17 points, nine boards, nine assists, two steals, and five rejections—which for him doesn't count as the end of the world, but it's still really freakin' good and he deserves credit.

If nothing else, J-Smooth shooting 63 percent is pretty unusual.

5. Dirk also gets a triple-double with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists.

Which I suppose, only the fact that he got more assists than rebounds is a shocker. Actually, the assists at all are pretty shocking. I once heard during a game that he only passes one in four times the ball touches his hands.

How about this for a shocker, of all the players to get a triple double tonight, Jason Kidd wasn't one of them and he did play today. I wonder what kind of action Vegas odds-makers would have given me against that happening...

6. Zach Randolph gets three 3-pointers tonight!

I swear to God he did, and he still managed to shoot above 50 percent. 30 percent of his three-pointers for the season came in tonight's game. (But the Knicks still lost so don't worry, we will all awake to find the world still intact in the morning.)

The NBA: Where Giving Away Power Forwards Happens

Dave Huet — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:19:58 -0500

Shaq for Marion? Really?

If the Suns are really intent on changing things up for this year's playoff run, there has to be better offers out there.

How about the Bulls trade for the Matrix: Marion for Ben Wallace anyone?

Why would the Suns want Wallace?

The same reasons they supposedly want Shaq that everyone else is reporting: play Amare at the four, fix chemistry issues, etc.

Why should they want Wallace over Shaq?

Big Ben is a younger 33, to Shaq's 36 years. Ben Wallace has a shorter and more reasonable contract than Shaq's, at $15 million per year for one and a half years versus $20 million per year for two.

Back when Big Ben was "the most underrated player in the league," people would constantly talk about his speed for a guy his size. The Pistons successfully ran a high-speed offense or a slow 1/2 court game depending on who they had to match-up against without a hitch and he was key to that flexibility.

Ben is more willing to work than Shaq, who constantly shows up overweight or only trys in the playoffs. Even now, while the Bulls have been faltering all season, no one complains about Ben's motivation.

Both have serious playoff experience and success. In fact, both have played center for championship teams. Ben Wallace's Pistons team beat the Lakers in the Finals, and as recently as last year, his Bulls swept the Heat.

Gearing up to play the Lakers?

Even with Ben's decreased play, he can still guard a young Bynum in the playoffs.

Chemistry issues?

Shaq's displeasure with his shot attempts have been well noted this year. Ben Wallace will only take seven shots, at most. He's only surpassed that three times this season and is usually much closer to four or five shots.

That will even allow for Diaw to get more attempts, and there's plenty of evidence to support that he does exponentially better when he's a starter and gets a feel for the game.

Why would the Bulls want Marion?

WHO WOULDN'T WANT MARION?!! But besides from that, the Bulls, and more so John Paxson, are only going to get so many more chances to get the post player they need.

KG went to the Celtics while Pau went to the Lakers, both of whom have been in trade roomers of going to the Bulls at the deadline and off-season for the last two years; Marion is probably the last guy out there.

He's a perfect fit for their style. He always hits the boards and can defend any position on the floor, which would be great help to make up for Ben Gordon's weak D. It allows them to play Noah and A. Gray at Center and get them serious minutes in games that actually matter as the Bulls are still attempting to make a playoff run.

They would have great match-ups against the best in the East by having Marion to defend 'Sheed (Pistons) and KG (Celtics), as well as adding serious height to their line-up overall.

Does it really work or is it just a pipe dream?

If the Bulls need to add more incentive to make it happen, they could tack on Joe Smith's soon-to-expire contract.

If Banks has really fallen out of favor with the Suns, that deal works perfectly. They could even make it happen with Chris Duhon as the Suns have been looking for a pass first, true point guard to help Nash at times, and he would be a great fit.

The Bulls would be in the exact same situation as far as salary-cap is concerned after the trade and should have no problem keeping Marion. He can score as much as he wants in their system and should get a leadership position and some control as no interim coach who is looking to keep his job is going to stand in his way.

Is there any way this deal is worse than the current Heat deal on the table?