Sorry Phoenix fans, it's just not gonna work!

By: Byron Parker

"If it works, I'm a genius. If it doesn't, I'm a moron, I guess." -Steve Kerr

Those words were spoken by Suns GM Steve Kerr after he made the trade that brought Shaquille O'Neal to Phoenix.

Sorry to break it to you Phoenix fans, but your team isn't looking very sharp right now. Ever since the front office traded away Shawn Marion for Shaquille O'Neal, your team hasn't looked like the championship caliber team that you hoped it would be. There are many reasons why this trade isn't working, but I don't have that sort of time to name them all.

I'm gonna keep it real with you guys. Shaq doesn't fit the team in any way, shape, form or fashion. The only thing that he would be good at is coaching Amare Stoudamire into becoming a better defender and a better rebounder; something that Stat already posseses. Cheerleading could be his best chance of succeeding there. Not being the starting center. We all know that he is old and aging and he doesn't have the ability to run up and down the floor like he did in his former days...hell, even two seasons ago he was looking pretty good. And as much as you Phoenix fans want to believe that Shaq will come together for you guys and you'll end up right back on top of things, you're just gonna have to admit it. Your team is not as good with Shaq as they were with Marion.

How many times have you heard this one?

"Shaq can't keep up with such a fast paced team."

That isn't the only problem people. If anything, that is the least of their problems. There are a lot of assets that Marion possesed that Shaq doesn't, and vice versa. When Phoenix got Shaq, they were hoping for better defensive play and more rebounding. They would find themselves out-rebounded by their opponents very often, and who else but Shaq could help that factor out. That looks like its not showing because the last 10 games, Phoenix has NOT been a better rebounding team since he's got there. Over the last 10 games, they rank 25th in rebounding with 40.7 a game. Defensively, there's a little more help...well just when it comes to blocking. They now average 6.7 blocks a game with Shaq in the paint, but they are still giving up more points than ever.

Shaq is no longer a threat when it comes to scoring. It showed this year in Miami, and it really hasn't gotten any better in Phoenix. He's averaging 11.1 points in a Suns uniform; almost three less than when he was in Miami. Rebounding has increased by 3 a game, but that doesn't help when they no longer have the presence of Marion who can score from all over the floor.
With Shaq there, Stat is now back at power forward, something that he hasn't been used to playing. He may be able to perform well there, but he was better defensively at the center position. When Marion was at power forward, he was a threat all over the floor. He could hit the three, he could post up, and he could body up in the paint and score near the basket. Nash was better with Marion. When Nash would penetrate to the hole, he had the option of dishing the ball out to a wide open Marion, and Marion had the ability to hit the wide open jumper. You can't do that with Shaq. Mike D'antonio is still trying to find a role for Shaq to play, but it's hard when your team already had a gameplan when Shaq wasn't there. He doesn't want to have to reconstruct the whole offensive gameplan just so Shaq can be a weapon.

A lot feel that the reason why Marion was dealt out was because he was a jerk. That may be true, but ESPN writer, John Hollinger made a great observation about that...

Theory: The Suns have better off-court chemistry without Marion.

Reality: The Suns had better on-court chemistry with Marion.

Ding-ding-ding-ding!!!!

Thanks Hollinger for that statement. Phoenix's playoff chances could possibly cut short because of what? Because Marion wasn't the best guy off the court? But in reality when he was on the court, we all saw what he was capable of doing? At this point, I'm thinkong f**k team chemistry, we need to make the playoffs. I believe that the Suns will miss the playoffs in a highly contested Western Conference. Their only hopes could be an emergency relocation that could put them in the Eastern Conference.

Sorry Phoenix fans.

I'd rather be truthful than misleading.