Heat trade Shaq to Suns
Published 3:31 pm Wednesday, February 6, 2008
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns have acquired Shaquille O’Neal in a stunning, blockbuster deal that sends four-time All-Star Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Miami Heat.
The improbable pairing of the speedy Suns and the slow but once-mighty O’Neal became official when he cleared a physical exam Wednesday.
The trade, a dramatic move by first-year Phoenix general manager Steve Kerr, signals an unexpected change in philosophy for the Suns, adding a 7-foot-1, 325-pound center who has won four NBA championships but has been plagued by injuries in recent years and turns 36 next month. O’Neal has been out with a hip injury and underwent an MRI exam in Miami on Tuesday. He flew to Phoenix on Wednesday for the physical.
O’Neal has averaged 25.6 points and 11.5 rebounds in his 14-plus NBA seasons.
This season, plagued by injuries and going through a divorce, he’s averaging 14.2 points. His 14-year streak as an All-Star choice came to an end this year.
He missed much of the 2006-07 season with a knee injury and finished that year with career-lows in games (40), scoring (17.3 points), rebounds (7.4), minutes (28.4) and free-throw percentage (.422).
Phoenix gambled he will be healthy and more motivated when he moves to the desert.
The Suns have the best record in the West (34-14) but have not played up to their own expectations. Their interior defense is among the NBA’s worst. Kerr apparently felt that without a large presence inside, Phoenix could not combat the big men, such as Andrew Bynum of the Lakers and Tim Duncan of the Spurs, in the playoffs.
The trade required a significant financial commitment from the budget-conscious owner Robert Sarver because O’Neal is scheduled to make $20 million this season and $20 million more each of the next two.
Marion makes $16.4 million this year and could opt out of the $17 million final year of his contract after this season. Banks has been in and out of the Suns’ rotation the past two seasons.
