[cLaY]

This can't be serious.

The Miami Heat's season has come to this: Shaquille O'Neal could be traded.

O'Neal

The Phoenix Suns are weighing whether to complete one of the most unexpected deals in NBA history by acquiring O'Neal from the Heat, NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein on Tuesday night.
Sources said that the Suns are deciding whether to go through with a deal that would send Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Heat for O'Neal, who, at 35, is in the midst of his least productive season for a Heat team that has cratered from a championship in 2006 to a 9-37 record this season.
"It's possible," said one source close to the situation, speaking about the potential trade.
The Miami Herald first reported on its Web site Tuesday night that the Heat have informed O'Neal that they are shopping him, and that talks with the Suns were serious.
A confidant of the 14-time All-Star center told The Associated Press on Tuesday night that O'Neal is ready for the Heat to trade him.
"Shaq thinks something will happen," the associate said.
A source close to Marion tells ESPN the Magazine's Ric Bucher that the Suns forward is in favor of the proposed trade. The source also indicated that there is a "good" chance that this trade would happen.
But if the Suns were to make this move, sources tell Stein that improving their oft-questioned chemistry in the locker room would be a primary motivation. The Suns would also be banking on the idea that the trade would rejuvenate O'Neal and fuel him with renewed motivation after a season in which his effectiveness and durability have been doubted all season.
The Heat have lost four straight games, and O'Neal has missed the last six games with a sore left hip. Heat coach Pat Riley said on Tuesday that O'Neal will undergo an MRI.
''We just want to back it up and see, after two weeks, what it shows,'' Riley said, according to the Herald.
O'Neal led the Heat to the 2005-06 championship, but he is averaging a career-low 14.2 points per game, while adding 7.8 rebounds in 32 games this season.
Trading for O'Neal would appear on the surface to make little basketball or financial sense for the Suns. O'Neal joining Phoenix would undoubtedly prompt widespread skepticism about his ability to keep up with the Suns' run-and-gun game. And the two years and $40 million remaining on O'Neal's contract after this season woud appear to clash with the Suns' recent pattern of making moves designed to reduce payroll and take them away from the luxury tax line of $67.875 million.
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said on his weekly radio show on Sports 620 KTAR in Phoenix on Tuesday night that the story caught him by surprise.
"The trade deadline's coming up so I'm sure there's talk all over the place," he said. "In our day and age now, you make one of those phone calls or answer a phone call everybody in the world knows about it. Other than normal business, I don't know anything that's going on."
Asked if any deal was close, D'Antoni said "No, no, no."
Last Friday, O'Neal said he and Riley have not discussed any trade possibilities.
"He hasn't spoken to me," O'Neal said at the time. "He hasn't talked about it. I've been in the league 15 years. I've seen it all, been through it all. I've just got to sit back."
Marion asked to be traded before the season began but has avoided talk of the subject since then. He is set to make $17 million next season, the final year of his contract, but can opt out of the deal and become a free agent.
Suns owner Robert Sarver said two weeks ago that none of the core players would be traded this season.
Neither Sarver nor Phoenix general manager Steve Kerr returned messages left by AP on their cell phones.

[BIRD33]

Supposedly the theory is that the Suns only need 4 to run the fast break and shaq will be the inbounder.The suns couldnt win the way they are so I can see why they're doing this.I don't think it will work just because shaq can't stay healthy.

[cLaY]

think he sits til the playoffs.

[Anhil8tor]

think he sits til the playoffs.

s'actly. they'll have him down to 300 lbs by the time the playoffs come around. its worth a shot.

[WoolyGoat]

I love how espn is treating this rumor like it's the circa 1999 Shaq.