ATLANTA — The Phoenix Suns’ mind-boggling trade of multi-talented Shawn Marion for creaky Shaquille O’Neal is quite a demonstration that the Lakers are setting the pace in the Pacific Division now, not the Suns.
Referring to new teammate Pau Gasol, Lakers forward Lamar Odom laughed as he said: “Pau has got (people) scared.”
My best sense of what seemingly smart Steve Kerr is doing is trying to pounce on what opportunity remains for the Suns to win a championship while Steve Nash, who turns 34 Thursday, is still physically capable of doing what he does at that amazing level. The Suns are also trying to re-establish some locker-room harmony, something I mentioned in my column earlier this season is a major problem in Phoenix this season.
But by dumping Marion, the Suns lose so much of their already mediocre defense that it’s hard to believe. Marion had been picking up for Nash by defending a lot of opposing point guards this season. O’Neal’s defense — even if he gets in better shape — has been declining sharply.
Odom said he expects the Suns will keep running their nonstop pick-and-roll plays, but O’Neal doesn’t have the quickness to roll well to the hoop the way he used to when Phil Jackson would close games with Kobe Bryant-O’Neal pick-and-rolls.
“I’m kind of surprised by that (trade),” Odom said. “I thought Phoenix was happy with the team they had.”
Derek Fisher referenced O’Neal’s divorce in saying of the trade: “Potentially because his wife is from L.A., he could be closer to his children and still have that part of it work out. … Obviously it’s newsworthy and it’s going to be fun to talk about all the possibilities, but I haven’t even been able to get my head around it.”
Here’s Jackson …
“This may be another one of those situations where people have to scramble a little bit to keep in the bid for winning.”
“There are deteriorating returns for a guy who’s 7-foot-1, 300-whatever-he-is. And when you have multiple problems in your legs, feet, knees, hips — that’s the stability that holds up the frame — it’s real difficult. I know he’s going to get in better shape as the season goes on, but that’s really the problem.”
“If Shaq can find a way to get it back, he’ll certainly be a presence to be contended with down there.”
Jackson didn’t want to talk at great length about it until he knew it was official, but I asked him how he could envision O’Neal fitting in with what they do in Phoenix. His response was quite funny: “Well, taking the ball out of bounds and waiting for the other team to get back.”
After some laughter, Jackson added: “I don’t know. That’s up to them.”
LOL
Phil is brutally honest. That probably says a lot about the relationship(or the lack thereof) between him and Shaq.
Yeah, Phil has never pulled punches with his players, maybe with the exception of MJ. That was very funny.
I think Fisher’s quote says a lot about why he means so much to this team. He immediately focuses on things that may not be purely basketball related. It’s so easy for us, as fans, to think that everything the players do is purely basketball. (The same reason why we fans tended to be very critical of Kwame — because he was not all about basketball.) I mean, I like my job, but that’s not what my life is all about. I have other things, like family and friends. Well, Fisher is able to bring more to the table — he is able to see through the basketball stuff and tries to connect with people (including his teammates) at a personal level. Yet, he is a winner. He is a great compliment to Kobe, who is all about basketball.
Forgot one thing Phil,
if he can get on the court. He has missed more games the H. Clinton misses her hubby.