SUNS TO RUN ON DIESEL POWER

by Don, With Malice...

Shaquille O'Neal to the Suns for Shawn Marion/Marcus Banks...

Absolutely goddamn insane.

And it became official as Shaq just cleared his medical exam. Phoenix Suns, welcome your new center.

What the hell is Steve Kerr thinking? This move is far more akin to something a fantasy league manager would attempt - and even if the owner of Marion/Banks didn't laugh and reject the deal, it would be vetoed by the league commish.
It's amazing how in one week, one GM thought to be a chump looks like a champ (Kupchak), and one thought to be a champ looks like a chump.

Whatever the reasonings behind this deal... or rather 'theft', Pat Riley must be beside himself in rapturous joy. Someone's willing to take on Shaq with two years left on his contract at $40 mil a piece??? Hell, Riley probably would've taken Eric Dampier, a cut lunch and some Village People vinyl for O'Neal at this point in time.
Guy's done. Finito. O'Neal logged out 2 years ago post winning the title at South Beach.

Yes, he was a great player. And as a Laker fan, I thank him for the best years in his career. But you don't rest on your laurels, and given what the Lakers ended up getting for O'Neal in the long term, Kupchak actually did quite well out of that trade.

And I read many, many commenters/writers/bloggers declaring that this is being done to improve the Phoenix defense - which currently leaks like a sieve, and has no rebounding whatsoever. Shaq won't be expected to run, this will allow Amare to run at power forward, Shaq's only going to be there to get rebounds, Shaq is there for defense, Shaq'll play with a chip on his shoulder, Shaq's back...

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH...

Have you been watching? Shaq doesn't do defense these days - and he's been complaining about touches at Miami - you think he's going to settle for being - at best - the 4th scoring option on the Suns? And whilst he's a big body that can maybe defend Timmy & Yao, do you really think he's a defensive upgrade from Shawn Marion? Rebounding? Don't make me laugh, he hasn't averaged 10 rebounds a game for years, and this season/last season he's averaging less than 8 a game.

It's also been said that Phoenix acted so precipitously because they'd heard that Dallas was looking to add O'Neal... so? Do what the rest of the league is doing now (over the Suns) - let the Mavs take him, sit back and laugh.

Additionally this is thought to be a reaction to the Lakers acquisition of Gasol. Does anyone truly believe that Shaq can guard Pau Gasol? A guy who has range, is fleet of foot, and is a finesse player? Historically that type of player has always provided O'Neal with the most trouble. Shaq's going to struggle with Andrew Bynum, let alone Pau Gasol.

Word is Nash is worried, Amare is ecstatic, Mike D'Antoni perplexed... it's definitely a slap in D'Antoni's face. He's long said that he believes the Suns' high-octane offense can work in winning a title. Kerr's acquisition of Shaq definitely slows them down.

To be fair, reports are of the tension between Marion and Amare Stoudemire being at an all-time high. But there's no doubt that Phoenix could've done better than an aging, broken down, out-of-shape, over-weight, over-the-hill center.

Bulls fans must be conflicted over this - it removes yet another destination for Ben Wallace, but at the same time makes their acquisition of Wallace not look so bad. Suns fans are simply angry.

This amounts to a knee-jerk reaction by a guy (Kerr) who should know better. Bodes well for the rest of the West.