Shaq Trade Unlikly to Happen

killa · 02-19-2009, 01:06 PM

Sources: Suns balk at offer for Shaq

Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James on the same team?

NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that a deal to make that happen is highly unlikely before Thursday's 3 p.m. ET trading deadline, but multiple sources close to the situation confirmed that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix have indeed discussed the possibility.

In a proposal first reported by The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic were offered to the Suns for O'Neal as part of the Cavs' well-chronicled quests to add one more big man for the playoffs and show LeBron that they will do anything necessary to win a championship.

Yet sources with knowledge of the talks told ESPN.com that, entering the final two hours before the deadline, neither team was optimistic about reaching an agreement.

It's believed that the Suns have pushed Cleveland to substitute Wally Szczerbiak's $13.8 million expiring contract for Wallace, which would result in the huge financial windfall that initially prompted Phoenix to make Amare Stoudemire and O'Neal available in trades earlier this month.

Phoenix on Monday began informing teams that Stoudemire was no longer available after the team replaced first-year coach Terry Porter with Alvin Gentry. The Suns, though, remain eager to reduce their payroll by at least $7 million and up to $9 million to avoid paying luxury tax next season.

If the Suns were willing to accept Wallace and Pavlovic, they would slice $5.5 million from next season's books, as Wallace's salary decreases from $14.5 million this season to $14 million in 2009-10 and because only $1.5 million of Pavlovic's $5 million salary next season is guaranteed.

The Suns' desire to take back Szczerbiak and Pavlovic is understandable. In that scenario, Phoenix would erase $19.5 million from next season's payroll.

Confident that O'Neal's close relationship with James would offset any concerns about making such a bold midseason acquisition, Cleveland shifted its sights to Shaq after bids for a variety of big men -- including Washington's Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler and Los Angeles Clippers center Marcus Camby -- were rejected.

O'Neal has been rejuvenated this season at 36 in spite of the Suns' overall struggles, earning a Western Conference reserve spot in last Sunday's All-Star Game via the coaches' vote and sharing MVP honors with former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant.

T.r.i.n.i. · T.r.i.n.i.

DIESEL TO TAKE DA SUNS TO THE PROMISE LAND!. . . . .. .

...
____________________
Wirelessly Posted (SAMSUNG-SGH-I617/UCHJ1 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) UP.Link/6.3.1.20.06.3.1.20.0)

killa · killa

not 2 sure about that

gifted chick · gifted chick

Originally Posted by T.r.i.n.i.

DIESEL TO TAKE DA SUNS TO THE PROMISE LAND!. . . . .. . ...
____________________
Wirelessly Posted (SAMSUNG-SGH-I617/UCHJ1 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) UP.Link/6.3.1.20.06.3.1.20.0)

Sol-Jie · Sol-Jie

suns wont make the playoffs

killa · killa

i doubt it 2

02-19-2009, 01:06 PM	#1
Shaq Trade Unlikly to Happen Sources: Suns balk at offer for Shaq Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James on the same team? NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that a deal to make that happen is highly unlikely before Thursday's 3 p.m. ET trading deadline, but multiple sources close to the situation confirmed that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix have indeed discussed the possibility. In a proposal first reported by The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic were offered to the Suns for O'Neal as part of the Cavs' well-chronicled quests to add one more big man for the playoffs and show LeBron that they will do anything necessary to win a championship. Yet sources with knowledge of the talks told ESPN.com that, entering the final two hours before the deadline, neither team was optimistic about reaching an agreement. It's believed that the Suns have pushed Cleveland to substitute Wally Szczerbiak's $13.8 million expiring contract for Wallace, which would result in the huge financial windfall that initially prompted Phoenix to make Amare Stoudemire and O'Neal available in trades earlier this month. Phoenix on Monday began informing teams that Stoudemire was no longer available after the team replaced first-year coach Terry Porter with Alvin Gentry. The Suns, though, remain eager to reduce their payroll by at least $7 million and up to $9 million to avoid paying luxury tax next season. If the Suns were willing to accept Wallace and Pavlovic, they would slice $5.5 million from next season's books, as Wallace's salary decreases from $14.5 million this season to $14 million in 2009-10 and because only $1.5 million of Pavlovic's $5 million salary next season is guaranteed. The Suns' desire to take back Szczerbiak and Pavlovic is understandable. In that scenario, Phoenix would erase $19.5 million from next season's payroll. Confident that O'Neal's close relationship with James would offset any concerns about making such a bold midseason acquisition, Cleveland shifted its sights to Shaq after bids for a variety of big men -- including Washington's Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler and Los Angeles Clippers center Marcus Camby -- were rejected. O'Neal has been rejuvenated this season at 36 in spite of the Suns' overall struggles, earning a Western Conference reserve spot in last Sunday's All-Star Game via the coaches' vote and sharing MVP honors with former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant. __________________	About Poster By: killa Join Date: Aug 2004 Networking Rating: None Add To Favorite Share Views: 168

gifted chick	post #4 02-19-2009, 02:17 PM
Administrators Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: t dot Street Cred : 4 Posts: 21,620 Dhaz Dollarz: 300 Gifts: 47	Originally Posted by T.r.i.n.i. DIESEL TO TAKE DA SUNS TO THE PROMISE LAND!. . . . .. . ... ____________________ Wirelessly Posted (SAMSUNG-SGH-I617/UCHJ1 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) UP.Link/6.3.1.20.06.3.1.20.0)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

T.r.i.n.i.	post #2 02-19-2009, 01:18 PM
Dhaz Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: "BOSS"TON. . . no Beans round here Street Cred : 6 Posts: 10,649 Dhaz Dollarz: 500 Gifts: 12	DIESEL TO TAKE DA SUNS TO THE PROMISE LAND!. . . . .. . ... ____________________ Wirelessly Posted (SAMSUNG-SGH-I617/UCHJ1 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) UP.Link/6.3.1.20.06.3.1.20.0)

killa	post #3 02-19-2009, 01:19 PM
Co-administrator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Canada Street Cred : 4 Posts: 21,953 Dhaz Dollarz: 500 Gifts: 30	not 2 sure about that

Sol-Jie	post #5 02-19-2009, 04:40 PM
-Dhaz General- Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: noitacoL Street Cred : 5 Posts: 8,170 Dhaz Dollarz: 500 Gifts: 51	suns wont make the playoffs

killa	post #6 02-19-2009, 07:57 PM
Co-administrator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Canada Street Cred : 4 Posts: 21,953 Dhaz Dollarz: 500 Gifts: 30	i doubt it 2