The Lakers and Suns just super sized their rosters while the Warriors signed Chris Webber. The Suns are going to be an interesting group with Marion out of the picture and Shaq trying to play the Phoenix pace. Gasol posted 20/10 in his Laker debut and looked like he'd been playing in the Triangle all season long. He has chemistry with Kobe and Odom already and the Lakers will get even better once Bynum returns. What do the Warriors do now? Do they counter and try to get another big body to bang with the likes of Duncan, Shaq, Bynum, Boozer and next year possibly Oden?
Artest? He wouldn't be able to bang with those guys. The Warriors need to find an upgrade for Al Harrington. I'm not sure what it says about him when Chris Webber has already been given the green light to start and play the majority of minutes at PF. Harrington hasn't fit since he was dealt to the Warriors and never turned into the volume rebounder they were counting on from him. Kurt Thomas would be a great target to pursue.
Shaq to Phoenix doesn't really bother me much. Warriors usually run immobile, slow bigs off the floor, its the mobile bigs who can keep up and still kill us that hurt. So in that regard Marion was probably a worse matchup for us than Shaq. Are the suns going to slow it down now? It just doesn't seem like a smart move for them IMO. That team is built around running, Nash penetration, and Nash-Amare pick and roll and all of that is out the window with Shaq in the post all the time. Very strange move by the Suns IMO. Could work out great or it could work out horribly. I think if/when we go against them it would be most wise to put Webber on Shaq and Biedrins on Amare. Webber's got the girth and experience to guard Shaq, of course with help defense coming down. Probably starting Al or Barnes would be smart to spread the offense. Have Al/Biedirns guard Amare. The last couple of times we've played the Suns we've really gotten to Nash by attacking him on at least half of the offensive possessions and overwhelming him with Baron, Monta, or Barnes riding him on defense. I really don't think they would be too tough to deal with for our team. They have no dirty work guy which wil be a huge problem since both Amare and Shaq need a dirty work big next to them. To be honest I literally don't believe it. I'll really believe it when I see it.... then again Webber is back in GS, Pau got traded for Kwame effin Brown, and I said the same thing about KG and AI last year. The Lakers on the other hand will own us. Pau and Bynum both rape us relentlessly because, like I said earlier, they're mobile. Plus they always have role players that kill us- Fisher, Walton, Radman, Turiaf, etc. Oh yeah they have that Kobe guy too. We stand no chance against them IMO unless Webber's impact is much more than I believe it will be. I wouldn't mind landing another big, athletic, defensive center. Elson isn't getting much time in SA. Stephen Hunter just came back for the Nuggets. Can Alan Henderson still play? How's Jelani McCoy? Olowakandi's gotta be out there somewhere, sure hes lazy as sh*t but hes big and athletic.
you guys should stand pat, your a team that can run the Lakers, Dallas and Phx to death right now, and you have younger all around talent.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Shapecity @ Feb 6 2008, 12:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Artest? He wouldn't be able to bang with those guys. The Warriors need to find an upgrade for Al Harrington. I'm not sure what it says about him when Chris Webber has already been given the green light to start and play the majority of minutes at PF. Harrington hasn't fit since he was dealt to the Warriors and never turned into the volume rebounder they were counting on from him. Kurt Thomas would be a great target to pursue.</div> Agree that Harrington should be moved but who would want him? I can't imagine any teams looking to add him. Maybe we can get in as a third team in a Kidd trade? Move Al or the TE or something decent in return.
Ok its official: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>No longer confident they can win a championship with their current roster, the Phoenix Suns have agreed to a blockbuster trade that will bring them Shaquille O'Neal, pending results of a physical, a source with knowledge of the negotiations said Tuesday. O'Neal will travel to Phoenix aboard a private plane, the source said, to undergo an MRI on his ailing left hip Wednesday. If he passes the physical, the Suns will complete the trade by sending Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Miami Heat. The Miami Herald first reported the Suns and Heat were in serious discussions regarding the trade.</div> http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Ag_B...o&type=lgns
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Run BJM @ Feb 6 2008, 12:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Shapecity @ Feb 6 2008, 12:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Artest? He wouldn't be able to bang with those guys. The Warriors need to find an upgrade for Al Harrington. I'm not sure what it says about him when Chris Webber has already been given the green light to start and play the majority of minutes at PF. Harrington hasn't fit since he was dealt to the Warriors and never turned into the volume rebounder they were counting on from him. Kurt Thomas would be a great target to pursue.</div> Agree that Harrington should be moved but who would want him? I can't imagine any teams looking to add him. Maybe we can get in as a third team in a Kidd trade? Move Al or the TE or something decent in return. </div> You could be right, but Shaq allows Amare to slide to PF and really opens up the paint for him. It's going to be interesting to see how Phoenix uses Shaq and if he can stay healthy. Shaq instantly upgrades their front court over the likes of Brian Skinner and Sean Marks. Sure they lose a lot with Marion, but the Suns are loaded at the SF spot with Diaw, Bell & Hill. None share Marion's athleticism, but they all have a mid-range game and Diaw is deadly in the pick and roll. Al Harrington still has value in the league. His game is more suited in the East where he can get away with playing PF and not get overwhelmed on the defensive side of the ball. He's still only 27 years old and his contract is reasonable. Al + Pietrus for Ratliff?
I don't think you guys need to worry about Phoenix, I don't think they pose a threat to anybody. Honestly, I think they downgraded their roster by giving up Marion for Shaq. What the hell was Kerr thinking? I'll never understand that move.. You guys have got a solid team, making changes aren't always the right solution. Like stated above, you guys can run with anybody in the league. You can't let L.A. settle into a half court game, then you're screwed.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Black Mamba @ Feb 6 2008, 01:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't think you guys need to worry about Phoenix, I don't think they pose a threat to anybody. Honestly, I think they downgraded their roster by giving up Marion for Shaq. What the hell was Kerr thinking? I'll never understand that move.. You guys have got a solid team, making changes aren't always the right solution. Like stated above, you guys can run with anybody in the league. You can't let L.A. settle into a half court game, then you're screwed.</div> Valid points. We still don't know what this team with Webber will do. People forget he averaged 20/10 the season before last and 11/7/3 playing C on a loaded Pistons team last season. I think his addition gave the team a bit of a mental boost since they were flat the last month or two and it adds a lot of competition with the big time underachievers. We couldn't stop LA from getting into a half court game before. It ought to be no different now with Pau there (a big time Warrior killer in his own right). <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>You could be right, but Shaq allows Amare to slide to PF and really opens up the paint for him. It's going to be interesting to see how Phoenix uses Shaq and if he can stay healthy. Shaq instantly upgrades their front court over the likes of Brian Skinner and Sean Marks. Sure they lose a lot with Marion, but the Suns are loaded at the SF spot with Diaw, Bell & Hill. None share Marion's athleticism, but they all have a mid-range game and Diaw is deadly in the pick and roll. Al Harrington still has value in the league. His game is more suited in the East where he can get away with playing PF and not get overwhelmed on the defensive side of the ball. He's still only 27 years old and his contract is reasonable. Al + Pietrus for Ratliff?</div> IMO Shaq in the paint ruins Amare's game. He relies a lot on playing the pick and roll with Nash and Shaq is never going to leave the paint. Hes got a decent outside shot but it would be a waste to keep him roaming aorund out there. Also, neither of these guys are good defenders or particularly good on the boards. Neither hustle very much. Ideally you want to pair them with a Haslem/Marion but now what? Nash is also at his best whine hes running in circles under the hoop, now what the hell is he going to do? The Suns are trying to commit to a whole new style of play mid-season after they've built a pure runnign team for several years. Maybe it'll work out great, but it just seems like an awkward fit. You could very well be right that Al has more value than I'm thinking. Fans, Warriors fans especially, tend to undervalue the players they dislike. Harrington is a good 3 pt shooter, decent all around scorer. IMO he sucks outside of that but some teams are looking for more offense to make that last push. Off the top of my head thinking of teams who might want him; Charlotte, but they wouldn't trade with us any time soon. Chicago is too cheap and not desperate enough. Cleveland may have interest but who would we want who they would be willing to give up? Houston maybe but again I don't see them being interested enough to give up anything we'd want.
Now we'll all see why Marion is the unsung hero in Phoenix. I think this is the best news I've heard all year!
Doesn't matter. Pau and Shaq are both going to be injured and on the bench. Wishful thinking hahah. The Warriors do not need to make any drastic moves, I don't think. But is Jermaine O'Neal available?
Shaq will be a nice halfcourt option for the Suns, if he's healthy. I love the Matrix but in the playoffs, the Suns cannot survive with Stoudamire and Matrix as their frontline, not against the Spurs.
I think Kerr's move was a risky move, but the way I see it is that it had to be done. The Suns small ball does not match up well with some teams (in particular, teams like the Spurs who can serve up an asswhooping fast or slow). That type of team will stop them in the playoffs regardless of their regular season record. Amare and Shaq's game may conflict, but that doesn't mean that they can't alternate between halfcourt and uptempo settings. That style may benefit the team because the opposing team might not have an answer for one or the other. I think Nash and the rest of the team is good enough to play halfcourt or uptempo, but because the Suns have been playing small for all these years, they naturally like to run because greater size is a deterrent to smaller players in the halfcourt. The biggest nightmare is that you get Shaq and Amare sucking in so many defenders in the paint, the Suns get so many open looks. Then, when you have passers like Diaw or Grant Hill catching the outlet pass, and then making a drive, a step-in midrange shot, or swinging the ball around to the open high % set shooter (raja bell or some other 3 point marksman). This could potentially be some high % ball at any tempo provided that Nash and Shaq stay healthy. Those guys were once MVP performers and they could do it again when it counts. I mean many thought Alonzo Mourning was passed his prime, but he did very well in that Heat championship as the x-factor in the middle. It's all about lasting until that final game and then giving it all you got. Shaq has that potential to come alive and be similar to how he once was (with obvious limitations to his quickness of course, but the strength and mental game is still there).
There's a big difference between Shaq and Alonzo. Alonzo accepted the fact that he was a role player and would only get backup minutes. He was also alot quicker, more mobile, and a better shot blocker. Unless Shaq has completely changed his tune, i don't think it will be long before he start whining and we hear the usual "you have to feed the big dog" crap. I was actually really happy when I heard of this trade. I don't think it will work out well at all for PHX and they have, if I remember correctly, a pretty tough schedule the rest of the way. Admittedly, I am pretty optimistic, but I can still se the Ws finishing 2nd in the Pacific behind LA.
I like Kerr's move. Gives the Suns a good offensive option when Nash sits. Dump down, let Shaq get all the touches he can for those 10-14 minutes. The Suns had issues scoring when Nash sat, now they have a weapon who has proven he can score without Nash. Though it might take him an offseason of rest to get healthy enough to provide that type of impact. -Petey
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Shapecity @ Feb 6 2008, 12:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Artest? He wouldn't be able to bang with those guys. The Warriors need to find an upgrade for Al Harrington. I'm not sure what it says about him when Chris Webber has already been given the green light to start and play the majority of minutes at PF. Harrington hasn't fit since he was dealt to the Warriors and never turned into the volume rebounder they were counting on from him. Kurt Thomas would be a great target to pursue.</div> I would slide AL to SF with CWebb and want to see AL-AB-CW front line. And I'm all for bringing Artest in for the TPE. Artest can play both SF and PF unlike AL. He's much thicker. BTW Noah is starting tonight vs. Webber so it should be a good test of his stamina and strength as opposed to Joe Smith.
I thought it was a good move too, but Ryan has a good point that Shaq's game is suffering in a lot of areas even when healthy. Defensively, he may be an open sore, but he's still one of the league's strongest high % fg players.
