Quote:
Originally Posted by Trojan97
I love the trade even though the health issue make it extremely risky. Shaq playing the 5 allows Amare Stoudamire to slide down to his natural position at the 4 which will allow him to be more effective against smaller opponents and will keep him out of foul trouble. With those two in the post, teams will have no choice but to double down on them which leaves open players (Nash,Diaw,Hill,Bell,Barbosa) to hit open jumpers. Rebounding will be huge for them and Shaq brings the championship swagger the team is lacking.
Plus his contract comes off the books the same time as Nash and Bell so they set themselves up as a franchise to take their championship runs and then rebuild with younger FA's and go in a different direction after that.
Good move for the Suns, GREAT move for the Heat. They'll have no trouble finding their way back to the playoffs next season with Wade,Marion and the high pick they'll have in the upcoming draft.
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Shaq is smart enough player to adjust to any type of system/offence in the league. However, I don't believe he's going to able to strive in this run-and-gun offense that the Suns rely on so much. He's now 35 and his injuries coupled with his size have really slowed him down. What made Marion work on the Suns was his quickness and freakish, athleticism. This isn't to say Shaq won't be able to work his way into the team, I just don't think he fits that mould of; Barbosa, Hill (just returning to the line-up), Diaw, Amare and most importantly, Nash.
Other teams are no longer concerned with double-teaming Shaq. And he won't be a concern running up-court. The Suns are not as an effective of a team with the half-court - Transition is where they win games.
I don't know if it's such a good move for the Heat on-court, either. I see this more as a 70% managerial move, 30% team move. He was obviously hurting the room, but not necessarily the court. (I mean, they are still in first place!) Without a true point guard, Marion can't get the ball. Think K-Mart without Jason Kidd.
Again, this is a reaction from Pau going to the Lakers. It scared Dallas and Phoenix because he makes the Lakers even more of threat than they already were. The Lakers have Phoenix's number, Phoenix needed to do something.