I could be the only one that thinks that this'll work out well for Suns
Phoenix still can run a fast break with him on the court. He just won't be part of it. I mean say they get a stop, outlet to Nash and he's off with say Hill on his left and Bell to his right with Amare trailing and Shaq walking down as "safety". if they can't get down court, well then shit with 16 seconds left in the shot clock, throw it into big daddy and let him go to work. everyone loves to note how Shaq won't fit into the Phoenix system cuz he can't run, but how bout how well Phoenix players fit into the Shaq system. If any1 has watched, and I mean seriously watched Shaq's games this yr, he still fuckin dominates. He gets it in the post, double comes, he dishes out, reposts deeper in. Its just that in Miami, when the double came, it stayed, and the likes of Jason Williams, Ricky Davis, Quin, Cook, Wright couldn't knock down shots. Teams even came off Wade and when he hit it back out to Wade, Wade would attack the rim and crowd up the center. Wade isn't that great of a passer and relied on getting the calls when he went up.
Now imagine, Shaq in the post. he'll have plenty of options of players that can knock down shots. Nash, Bell, Barbosa, Hill. I mean even Diaw, Amare, and Skinner can knock down the mid-range shots like Haslem can and did with Shaq.
Now imagine the Amare/Nash pick and roll with Shaq weakside. Oftentimes, on the pick and roll teams will rotate a man weakside to sag off- which sometimes led to Marion alley-oops and sometimes led to stopping the pick and roll. No center in the league is allowed to sag off Shaq cuz that leads to easy buckets for him, and you don't let Shaq get into rhythm
Now on the defensive side of the ball. How does this not help both parties?! Its not like teams want to fast break and run with the Suns. Every coach knows, don't get in a trackmeet with the Suns. Teams are told NOT to take the first open shot they get cuz if they just be patient, they can get a better shot, particularly something going to the basket with Amare being a liability at Center. Against this yrs Miami team, team would just run and get Shaq out of the game cuz he couldn't get back fast enough. But teams DO NOT want to run against the Suns. If the do and miss, itll stem the Phoenix fast break. Thus, Shaq can take his sweet ass time down court to defend the big boys.
You can say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" as Phoenix is number 1 in the West currently, and "could've, should've, would've" beaten SA last yr in the playoffs. Thing is, even with Amare, they WOULD NOT have won. Phoenix is essentially "broke", they havn't made the finals despite always being in the mix, and for a good reason. They got no D down low. no presence.
Just ths yr they've allowed
23 pts 11 boards to Wilcox 11-17
14 pt 13 coard to bynum on 7-10 off the bench
25 pt 10 rebounds to SHAQ on 11-19
33 pt 18 rebounds to Dwight 13-24
17 pt 8 boards for curry on 7-11 (fouled out)
17 pt 14 boards to kaman
31 pts 13 boards 11-19 to Yao
30 pts 23 boards 13-19 dwight
21 pt 8 boards 10-13 to curry
30 pt 11 boards 14-20 jermaine oneal
32 pt 20 boards 13-26 al jeff
18 pts 11 boards 7-10 SHAQ
24 pts 13 boards Boozer- 20 pts 13 Boards Millsap
14 pts 18 boards Tyson, 15 pts 11 boards West
26 pts, 17 boards 15-25 Duncan
42 pts, 13 boards 10-20 Bosh
28 pts, 12 pts, 11-13 Bynum
22 pts, 20 boards Kaman
19 pt- 11 boards- tyson
22 pts 17 boards- okur
29 pts, 11 boards 14-16 bogut
9 pts, 18 boards- kaman
27 pts, 14 boards 11-20 al jeff
19 pts 13 boards- bogut
39 pt, 15 boards, al jeff
16 pt, 17 reb- duncan
I mean I know other teams get more shots cuz the fast pace thus better numbers, but that was ridiculous. I didn't jsut post the good numbers I saw, I only looked at the boxscores of teams with a C that could score and looks what I got. Shaq will help. I mean I could post Duncan's numbers last yr in the playoffs, but that'd be abusive and ugly. AMarae cannot hang with center of the league and legit low post scorers. Shaq has the body and will be able to help finally without being a big liability on offense
Also, Marion will struggle anywhere else he goes. Mark that down. everyone knows, Marion is a system guy. he does well in this system that the Suns run where he can gets alleyoops and open 3s. same things with plenty of Warriors, which is why the Warriors cannot trade a couple their players (think Barnes, SJax). Marion is easily replaceable with an athletic player with a 3.