<div class="bi"><cite><div class="bi"><div><span style="font-style: italic">Sep 11</span> - The Suns and Utah Jazz tossed around the idea of a trade sending Shawn Marion to Utah for Andrei Kirilenko last month but they did not move pass the stage of talks and the discussion of swapping versatile forwards has been tabled for weeks. Marion, 29, frequently comes up in summer trade rumors and talks because of the Suns' payroll situation, which has them over the luxury tax threshold with contracts that will pay its big three -- Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Marion -- $41.6 million for the coming season and $45.1 million in 2008-09. Marion is the team's highest paid player at a salary of $16,440,000 this season and $17,810,000 in 2008-09, the final year of his contract. -- Arizona Republic </p>[*]As much as people always want to believe that reports like the Shawn Marion-Andrei Kirilenko trade talks are fabrication or indirect rumors, this is fact. It may go nowhere and it hasn't for weeks after being initiated last month but it did occur. The Suns' flagship station, KTAR-AM, was the first to mention it today. Lots of things get thrown out for the sake of consideration in summer front offices. It just seems that, in Phoenix, they frequently involve Shawn Marion. -- Arizona Republic </p></div></div></cite></div>
<h3>Andrei Kirilenko</h3> <h3> </h3><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>• "AK-47" is one of the best nicknames in sports, being that he's Russian-made; those are his initials and his uniform number. • 26 years old, but a high-mileage 26. He started playing professionally in Russia a month shy of his 16th birthday. • Owed $13.7 million this year and $63 million over four years. • Versatile. At 6 feet 9, he can play anywhere from big guard to center. • Limited shot from the perimeter; great defender; long, lean and can run the floor. • Coming off a lousy season. Did not adjust well to Utah's emphasis on Carlos Boozer in the offense. • Made only All-Star team in 2004. • Quirky. Reportedly cried about his limited role after Game 1 of a first-round playoff series against Houston. • Not known to watch cartoons but looks sort of cartoonish. • Married to former Russian pop star Masha Lopatova. ESPN the Magazine reported that she allows him one "dalliance" per season. He claimed he has not used them. We suspect he has been saving them for Scottsdale. <h3>Shawn Marion</h3> • "The Matrix" isn't a bad moniker, either, what with his gravity-defying stunts. • 29 years old, prime time for NBA players. • Gets $16.44 million this season and $17.1 million next season, unless he exercises option to be a free agent next summer. • Versatile. At 6 feet 7, he is used primarily at power forward but has guarded centers and point guards. • Fills the stat sheet. Weird but effective shot. Terrific rebounder. Good defender. Long, lean and can run the floor. • Numbers were down slightly from his career averages. • Four-time All-Star. • Goofy. Doesn't cry but has been known to whine a lot. • Likes to watch cartoons. Scooby-Doo is a favorite. • Marion evidently already declared free agency in this department.</div></p> Source: AZ Central </p> I can't imagine why Phoenix would make this trade other than having the peace of mind AK47 is locked in for a long time with his current deal. He's also 3 years younger and is arguably makes a bigger impact on defense. This would be a bold trade for new GM Steve Kerr to make in his first season with the team. </p>
