http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3232862

The Miami Heat's season has come to this: Shaquille O'Neal may be on the trading block.

Citing two sources close to the situation, the Miami Herald reported on Tuesday that the team has told the center that he should be prepared for a possible deal.

The Herald goes on to report that a trade of O'Neal to the Phoenix Suns for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks has been discussed. One of O'Neal's representatives told the newspaper that they were informed that talks with Phoenix were ongoing and serious.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports that this scenario has been rumored for a week, but it will not work without major modifications due to financial restraints.

The Heat have a league-worst 9-37 record and have lost four straight. 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 14.8 points per game, while adding 7.8 rebounds in 32 games this season.

Trading O'Neal would open considerable salary cap room for Miami, which is due to pay the 35-year-old $20 million in each of the next two seasons.

[Edited by - nyk4ever on 02-05-2008 8:03 PM]

I have no idea why Pheonix would do this

Posted by MS:

Curry and Crawford for Shaq I would do it his deal runs out sooner and thus provides more cap room

Too bad they wouldn't.

so a broken down shaq, at age 35 with 40 mil left on his deal, is worth a marion?

I wonder what a 25 year old curry with less money on his contract is worth? LOL..............

thats a great deal for the heat thats 20 million plus williams 9 million plus davis at close to 8 million addin in so for 3 million and the heat have a ton of cap space and the ability to sign and trade marion in the offseason, add a lottery pick and be players in the market for deng, brand, etc

Posted by tkf:

so a broken down shaq, at age 35 with 40 mil left on his deal, is worth a marion?

I wonder what a 25 year old curry with less money on his contract is worth? LOL..............

When Eddy will get close to 8 RPG... then possible he will have some

Posted by GKFv2:

Posted by EnySpree:

When is Isiah gonna make a trade?

If Shaq goes to Pheonix for Marion I will be so pissed.

Hopefully never. Unless you're addicted to pain.

Something has got to give.

Miami can lose all they want cuz they still have Dwayne Wade. They already won a championship. They can waste years if they want. Trust me Pat riley will collect his top lotto pick this year and reload next year.

What do the Knicks have? We're a joke. Knicks need to rebuild everything from ownership on down to MSG security.

So we know nobody is leaving, so Isiah needs to do something.

Group hug?

miami is in prime position to rebuild and contend next season.

if they can pull this off, that gives them wade + marion.

then package up the expirings (jwill + ricky tiki) for another wing man in a dump (possibly rj/redd)?

and then trade the pick on draft night w/ a player for another slot.

miami is 2 quick and easily made deals to be right back in the ecf's next season.

they are not in as bad a spot as people think.

Posted by Solace:

The Suns would have to have the worst GM in the NBA for this to happen. Shawn Marion is awesome and I don't know why media writers keep undercutting him year after year with stupid unbalanced trade rumors.

marion is looking for a big time extension and he can opt out after this season and the suns aren't looking to give him one. (not to mention his diva-like tendencies)

Posted by franco12:


Makes no sense- perhaps Kerr is going for worse GM title.

Ummm.....are you 100% sure ?

Posted by Solace:

Posted by djsunyc:

Posted by Solace:

The Suns would have to have the worst GM in the NBA for this to happen. Shawn Marion is awesome and I don't know why media writers keep undercutting him year after year with stupid unbalanced trade rumors.

marion is looking for a big time extension and he can opt out after this season and the suns aren't looking to give him one. (not to mention his diva-like tendencies)

That's all well and good, and I could see Marion going in the right deal. Nonetheless, we all know this is an utter ripoff for the Suns. The Suns would be better off letting Marion expire than do this trade. Marion's contract ends a year earlier than Shaq's.

Complete garbage rumor. Miami would have to throw in their #1 for this to start approaching a fair trade.

I think Miami throwing in their #1 would definetely be the deal breaker, especially since they have the best chance of getting the first pick as of now.

[Edited by - jrzyhustla on 02-05-2008 11:12 PM]