The Perpetual NBA Thread

**ssaloon** · February 7th, 2008 12:20 PM

I still dont get it? Financially it doesn't make sense. It's really a gamble on the part of Phoenix. And saying that they "just run a 4-man fastbreak" is kinda justifying the crime...

**RedCoder1** · February 7th, 2008 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by ssaloon

I still dont get it? Financially it doesn't make sense. It's really a gamble on the part of Phoenix. And saying that they "just run a 4-man fastbreak" is kinda justifying the crime...

The court's wide open when you run a fast break.Defensive positions aren't established yet.When you run on a fast break I think two or three people is enough.It's just a matter of positioning and, of course, skill on the part of the people doing it and I think that's what Phoenix is known for.Imagine Nash running the break with Barbosa and Amare.Defense not yet established, still spread.Parang expresway ang daan papunta sa ring.May mga sasakyan(the defense) pero ilan pa lang at syempre maluwang ang daan.What are the chances that they'll miss the deuce in a situation like that?Pag naunahan ng depensa antay kay Shaq.Hanap ng ibang options.At least now they have a big guy in the middle who is a scoring option(sana nga) at hindi laging asa na lang sa fast break nila.Nakakapagod din naman kasi talaga pag takbo nang takbo.At least hindi na sila laging laspag pagkatapos ng laro.Ngayon pwede na sila magmabagal kung gusto nila.I just hope Shaq can still deliver.

**ILuvDetailing** · February 7th, 2008 05:14 PM

Basketball wise this trade doesn't make too much sense, why trade away a super athlete in Marion who's their best defender, and utility guy for an aging 36 year old C on his last legs.

I was hoping that Phoenix give it another go this season with Grant Hill on board, then decide in the offseason whether to go in another direction.

Experts say they made this deal because they need a defensive presence, well they already thad that defensive presence in Kurt Thomas who they traded away in the offseason because they don't want to go over the luxury tax. That alone makes this trade even more of a surprise because shaq has still 2 years and 40M left on his contract. Also if you looked at games vs elite big men this season, Shaq's been picking up quick fouls early in games, forcing him to the bench early during games. 8M vs 20M do the math...

On the other side of the coin Phoenix wouldn't make this deal if Marion isn't pouting behind the scenes not being given enough credit for the teams success or being the third wheel behind Nash and Amare. I guess this has become a big issue behind the scenes that forced kerr's hand into doing this trade.

I hope that Shaq and Grant Hill will hold up for the regular season and playoffs, for them to make that Title run for this trade to be justified for the Phoenix Suns.

**tsupermario** · February 7th, 2008 05:26 PM

i think phoenix deemed marion expendable because of diaw. they do need someone big in the middle. if the experiment fails, blame is on steve kerr.

**theveed** · February 8th, 2008 12:54 AM

Well, Kerr has balls to gamble on this... Shaq only needs to provide "adequate" support to get the Suns to the Finals to make the deal "good" anyway... If they win just one championship (fluke or not), then everything is "validated"...

**Eismann** · February 8th, 2008 09:55 AM

No GM has more balls than Kerr on this move. Another Suns-Lakers classic in the playoffs.

**kimpOy** · February 8th, 2008 10:30 AM

quotes quotes quotes

"He (marion) has been playing a style out there where there is a shot every seven seconds,"
"Here, he's gonna think we're all playing in concrete boots.
-PAT RILEY

"I'm very upset,"
"You just don't really want to get me upset. When I'm upset, I'm known to do certain things -- like win championships."
"This team has always been there in the Western Conference,"........."They just couldn't quite get over the hump. I think with my experience and my on the court-off the court leadership, I can help them get over the hump."
SHAQUILLE O'NEAL

**ILuvDetailing** · February 8th, 2008 05:58 PM

Shaq is a very proud man, the question is can he back up all his bark?

we'll soon find out...

**theveed** · February 14th, 2008 07:38 AM

Kidd appears headed to Mavericks in blockbuster deal
By JAIME ARON, AP Sports Writer
February 13, 2008

DALLAS (AP) -- Jason Kidd appears headed back to where his career began, rejoining the Dallas Mavericks in the latest Western Conference megatrade.
Kidd is the centerpiece of a proposed deal between the Mavericks and New Jersey. Various media reports say Dallas will send emerging point guard Devin Harris, veteran Jerry Stackhouse and reserves DeSagana Diop, Devean George and Maurice Ager to the Nets, with forward Malik Allen going from New Jersey to the Mavericks.

The details still were being worked out, but Stackhouse said his agent told him the trade would be completed.

"Now I think it's pretty much a done deal," Stackhouse told The Associated Press.

Stackhouse added that he may be able to rejoin Dallas within 30 days, an indication the Nets would buy out his contract.
"I feel great. I get 30 days to rest, then I'll be right back," he said. "I ain't going nowhere."
By adding Kidd, the

Mavericks are clearly in a win-now mode. He is 10 years older than the 24-year-old Harris, but also far more ready to lead a team on a title hunt. Dallas has been close in recent years, losing in the NBA finals in 2006, then winning 67 games last season before flaming out in the first round.

Mavs officials were reluctant to shake up their core, but a recent slump and some big additions by Western Conference rivals may have helped change their minds.

"I think Devin has a lot of upside, but Jason Kidd is the type of all-league point guard our teams needs," Stackhouse said. "We just need a jolt. Adding a player like him can re-energize a team, hopefully."

Dallas and New Jersey were in serious talks about Kidd earlier this month. Stackhouse said it was almost nailed down Tuesday night, then called off, only to be revived again Wednesday morning.

The top teams in the West have stocked up their rosters in recent weeks. The Lakers got things rolling by plucking Pau Gasol from Memphis and last week Phoenix traded for Shaquille O'Neal. San Antonio added point guard Damon Stoudemire to its rotation.

Mavs brass resisted overhauling the team in the offseason and held steady the last few months. Whether it was the team's sloppy play of late or to counter the moves made by their rivals, owner Mark Cuban finally felt the time was right.

Dallas (34-17) was tied with the Lakers for the third-best record in the West going into Wednesday night's game against Portland, but was coming off two ugly losses -- one against Kidd and the Nets on Sunday -- and has yet to play up to coach Avery Johnson's expectations for long stretches.

Their recent slide was partly because Harris has been out with an ankle injury.

"It's been kind of stagnant all season," Stackhouse said. "I think you just try to find the right piece. Maybe this is the right piece that really helps our team, that gets our scorers easy opportunities. Getting Pau or Shaq wouldn't have helped that case. Getting a point guard, that gets you easy opportunities. It solves that issue for us."

Kidd has been looking to get out of New Jersey for months. The Nets are 23-29 and unlikely to be contenders in the East, like he made them for most of his tenure.

Kidd led New Jersey to the NBA finals in each of his first two seasons there, but the Nets haven't gotten past the second round of the playoffs since.
Kidd's arrival should be a boon to reigning MVP Dirk Nowitzki, providing him with the easy baskets he used to get when teamed with Steve Nash. His presence also will open things up for Josh Howard, plus let Jason Terry spend more time at shooting guard.

Harris' numbers have gone up in each of his four seasons, helping him earn a five-year contract worth roughly $42 million prior to this season.
However, he's nowhere near the distributor Kidd is, nor is he liable to get a triple-double. He may eventually have that well-rounded of a game, but the Mavericks decided they couldn't wait.
Losing Diop hurts Dallas' front line, as he is the primary backup to starting center Erick Dampier. However, Diop -- who is a free agent after this season -- had fallen out of favor with Johnson lately.

George, also headed toward free agency, was in his second season with the Mavericks, but never found his niche because of injuries and a logjam at the small forward-shooting guard spots. Ager was another in that crowded mix. In his second year from Michigan State, he never worked his way into the rotation and recently was sent to the NBA Development League.
Allen was averaging 5.4 points in almost 16 minutes per game for New Jersey this season.

Kidd broke into the league in 1994-95 when Dallas made him the third overall pick. He was voted co-Rookie of the Year, but the club was such a mess it was better known as the Mav-wrecks. In fact, it was the trade of Kidd to the Phoenix Suns in December 1996 that convinced ownership to lure Don Nelson out of retirement, a hire that ultimately put Dallas back among the NBA's elite clubs.

Magagalit nanaman Popovich neto hehehe....

**theveed** · February 14th, 2008 07:39 AM

For the Nets, this clears cap space next season. It will allow them to re-sign forward Nenad Krstic and start rebuilding the franchise after seven straight playoff appearances with Kidd. The Nets are still discussing a Vince Carter-Jermaine O’Neal trade with the Indiana Pacers, but two sources close to those discussions placed odds below 50 percent. According to one source, the Nets have gone so far as talking to O’Neal’s doctors in Indiana about the state of his troubled knee.