If it means a championship, though, then it's genius.  No brainer.

Of course, those assumptions are pretty far-fetched.

I am sad to see Shawn go, though.  But if it means a title, then I'm a back-stabber like that (I should've been a lawyer).

We're going to get a lot of pictures of Shaq and Doris over at DirtyScottsdale.com

I'm always hopeful for the Suns but I also try to be realistic about the team and I have been feeling this group was not quite going to get it done this year.  They haven't seemed to have the fire that we've witnessed the last few years.  I've had home and away Marion jerseys in my closet since he was drafted, the Suns are going to miss him, but the writing was on the wall there and he was all but certain to be gone by the end of the season anyway.

As I've thought about this trade all day, I'm beginning to talk myself into seeing how this could work.  Nash is the offense here, and he is still going to be.  I'm hoping this is the end of the season-long trend of every center in the league having a career night against Amare in the middle.  Plus the post-game interviews from "The Big Mumble" will be awesome.

1. This looks like Steve Kerr saying, where is the team that i saw when i was on tnt watching you guys?" He (and myself) doesn't see the fire that everyone had when it was "the good ole days" with diaw as the center or Barbosa blazing too fast for the tv guys to keep up. I personally became a suns fan when the Nash came to town and I was awed by how they played like they had nothing to lose (plus, when i played, i always wanted to be a player like Nash). Perhapsibly Kerr's thinking that his team needs some life forcibly pumped into those zombiotic (is that a word?) bodies we tend to see, especially against the lower tier or Eastern Conference teams. Playoff-wise, its a whole new ballgame and the best team doesn't always win. Shaq is and always will be a guy who cracks jokes and lightens the mood while trying to lumber that large anatomy of his down the floor. I remember somewhere that Nash even admitted that playing this year doesn't seem nearly as fun as the previous seasons because of the load of expectations that have been thrust upon them. A jovial and happy presence in the locker room is always more welcome than a sour and jealous one. The best move that Kerr or Sarver or anyone else can make is keeping everyone motivated, fired up, and wanting to come into "work" every day.
   
2. My immediate response to the move was not unlike Nancy Kerrigan's after Harding but without the physical pain part. I could not comprehend why the team would up and decide to lose their identity. But after thinking about it, I am pretty sure that (when/if?)we beat Duncan, Ginobili, Kobe, Dirk, CP,and capture the title later this year, I will not be so unhappy about this trade. Victory overcomes all other emotions (usually).

1.  We are rid of Marcus Banks and his contract - Many have called for this and pointed out that not only is he a black hole with the ball, his attitude is a definite locker room problem.  I remember when he sored 40 points in the summer league game, many thought Miami was a good fit for him.
2.  People seem to forget that Shawn asked for a trade.  Unless he rescinded that request, you can bet the FO never forgot the demand.  It was clear the way he played in several single digit scoring games that his heart was not in it.

3.  Amare was limited by playing center.  Also, the fire that was in his eyes in 04-05 has not returned on a consistent basis, perhaps due to the strain of guarding centers, and the pressure cooker that was his relationship with Shawn.

See exhibit A - the 1972 Lakers.  Wilt Chamberlain spent most of the 70-71 season willing his body to play through the aches and pains of a devastating knee injury the year before.  Even though he played well at times in the finals against the Knicks, he really wasn't right until the 1971 season, and in 1970-71, he had to deal with Lew Alcindor.  Also, it was clear that Elgin Baylor was not going to fit in with Bill Sharman's share the wealth team concept, so he retired rather than drag his knees through another season bickering with the Big Dipper.

What you had left was a strange collection of talent that somehow meshed and brough the greatest season in team sports to the Forum, at least until MJ's return year.  Wilt sacrificed his ego,  I think he averaged about 10 points per game, grabbed 19 rebounds per, and anchored the middle for a team with a deadeye shooter for a point guard (West), a consumate team player at forward (McMillan), a speedy sharpshooter at off guard (Goodrich), an aging superstar who was the greatest offensive force of his generation at center (Wilt) and some other spare parts who were convinced by Sharman to sacrifice for the team.

What did that team do?  It coompiled a 69-13 record, a 33 game winning streak, and swept to the title over some strong conmpetition including Alcindor and Willis Reed.