- 1,130
- 115
Regardless of whether the Suns are going to be better now, this is really the best scenario for Shaq and the Heat. Here in Miami, he was going play out thelast two years of his career plodding along for 35 minutes a night on a terrible to mediocre team. At least now he goes to a contender out west, and willonly have to play about 20 minutes a night during the regular season to keep relatively healthy.
As for the Heat, they unload Diesel's AWFUL contract, getting a much younger and more dynamic player in Marion in return. If he stays, you build aroundhim, Wade, and the likely top 2 pick from this year's draft, and still have enough cap room to sign a solid starter. If he goes, then you have $20+million in cap space to run amok in a crazy talented free agent class.
If Marion extends, my thoughts are:
Draft Derrick Rose, sign a guy like Biedrins or Josh Childress.
If Marion bolds:
Probably draft Michael Beasley, sign a young tarting PG (Calderon, Juan Carlos Navarro, Duhon, Lou Williams, or maybe even Carlos Arroyo), and Elton Brand.
If they draft Rose, sign Brand and Ron Artest/Luol Deng.
Can you imagine a 2009 lineup of Rose, Wade, Marion, Haslem, and Biedrins? Or Rose, Wade, Artest, Brand, and (insert center here)? Or if they wanted tospread their money around more, a lineup of Rose, Wade, Deng, Haslem, and Biedrins? Talk about turning it around in a hurry.
On the Sun's side, it's definitely make or break for the next two years.
As for the Heat, they unload Diesel's AWFUL contract, getting a much younger and more dynamic player in Marion in return. If he stays, you build aroundhim, Wade, and the likely top 2 pick from this year's draft, and still have enough cap room to sign a solid starter. If he goes, then you have $20+million in cap space to run amok in a crazy talented free agent class.
If Marion extends, my thoughts are:
Draft Derrick Rose, sign a guy like Biedrins or Josh Childress.
If Marion bolds:
Probably draft Michael Beasley, sign a young tarting PG (Calderon, Juan Carlos Navarro, Duhon, Lou Williams, or maybe even Carlos Arroyo), and Elton Brand.
If they draft Rose, sign Brand and Ron Artest/Luol Deng.
Can you imagine a 2009 lineup of Rose, Wade, Marion, Haslem, and Biedrins? Or Rose, Wade, Artest, Brand, and (insert center here)? Or if they wanted tospread their money around more, a lineup of Rose, Wade, Deng, Haslem, and Biedrins? Talk about turning it around in a hurry.
On the Sun's side, it's definitely make or break for the next two years.