Heat Considering Trading Marion to Raptors for Jermaine O’Neal
After reading this Yahoo article this morning covering the recent comments by Pat Riley and the Miami Heat about their interest in the Toronto Raptors Center Jermaine O’Neal I was in a state of shock. The Heat is considering sending the versatile Shawn Marion for J.O.?
What is Pat Riley thinking?
I love J.O. to death, but it’s fairly obvious to the entire world that his best days are well behind him. Even though there was off-season talk of O’Neal coming out this year rejuvenated and back to all-star form, he still has been bothered by intermittent knee troubles and has yet to show he is any real scoring threat. Don’t get me wrong though, Jermaine O’Neal is still a machine on the glass and a defensive presence in the paint where he is consistently putting up great numbers in the blocks department.
But if Riley is looking for a player that just rebounds consistently and blocks shots, he doesn’t need to look any further than his current center Joel Anthony who has been doing just that for the Heat so far this year. If Pat Riley is seriously considering this move it is a sure sign that the Heat are close to 100% positive that Shawn Marion is not willing to resign with them, so they are trying to move him before he just signs elsewhere without the Heat getting anything in return.
What would Bryan Colangelo and the Raptors be getting in this deal?…..Instant success…
For those of you that have been watching the Raptors this year, what has been their biggest weakness? Perimeter defense! Especially against the many high scoring shooting guard and small forward superstars that seem to populate virtually every NBA team these days. There is no better or more versatile defender in the NBA to guard those positions than Shawn Marion. The guy is freakishly athletic with both size and speed, and he has the veteran know how to stop guys straight up. The bonus you get with Marion, is he is one of those guys who doesn’t need a lot of plays called for him on the offensive end either. He’s a clean-up specialist, and a very consistent perimeter shooter as well (which he never really gets sufficient credit for).
There has been a lot of talk about Marion’s statistics having dipped ever since he was separated from selfless point guard Steve Nash, who has long been given credit for inflating Marion’s numbers with his great passing. If Marion did get shipped to Toronto, what better way to rejuvente Marion to fantasy stat stuffer than to couple him with the only point guard in the NBA who has a game that somewhat resembles that of Steve Nash, i’m talking about Jose Calderon. They both are selfless to a fault, have great court vision, shoot ridiculous efficiencies from all spots, and love to throw the lob pass. This is exactly the type of point guard Marion needs to play with to excel.
Most critics of this potential trade will talk about the dangers of once again weakening the much improved Raptors interior by shipping out O’Neal, but with the improved play of Andrea Bargnani over the last few weeks on the inside and outside, it will certainly take the sting off for the Raps. And when you really think about it, the Raps have improved their interior this year, but for what? A worse record?
It may be time to shake things up again…..
I like this trade for the Raps, hate this trade for the Heat. Only time will tell. What are your thoughts?
i like this, but we will need to look for more help at the center position…Jake Voshkul is pretty useless but then again we have Kris Humphries…i suppose. if the ‘Australian Shaq’ Nathan Jawai can finally play a game and produce then we might have to do this deal right now
It would be a great trade for Toronto and make no sense to Miami. Maybe it’s a gift because of the Morning deal !!
[...] Miami Heat Considering Trading Shawn Marion to Toronto Raptors for Jermaine O’Neal – [...]
J.O. sat out today mysteriously….hmmm….could they be holding him out pending the trade?
I say J.O 4 Shawn is a good trade Andrea is playing AMAZINGLY right now and we need a good player at the 3 spot like have moon but hes not much of an offenceive threat!!!!!!
You have to realize something. Some trades have more substance than you first realize. JO is making 22 million this year and next year, his contract expires the summer of 2010. The free agent pool everyone’s been talking about, if you have JO’s salary coming off our books, we would be able to sign Dwayne Wade and possible another superstar;
Amare Stoudarmire anyone?
Alonzo Mourning suckss…why did we even agree to make it Vince Carter for a bought-out Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, and two first round picks??…GARBAGE
and JO sat out cause he was injured…they wont trade for him until he shows some backbone
we’re dreaming Rap.fans, this is too good, it wont happen…..otherwise we wpuld have one of the leagues best front…dynasties would be built in Canada (nash would join us in 2010)…it would be what James N(the bball inventor) would have dreamt…..impossible!!!
good luck.
This trade si perfect for toronto becuz as you can see andrea bargnani si playing good enuff to be our big man plus if jermaine leaves raptors will have alot of extra money to actually sign sum1 like LEBRON JAMES on and keep bosh and marion is a really big offensive threat cuz raptors dont have that plus he can help calderon
You guys are all crazy. I’ve been watching Marion all year, if his jumper was anywhere close to something that resembled consistent, he’d have higher numbers. People say he just hasn’t been in the right system and he probably isn’t, but he has been extremely inconsistent with his jumper (and it is horrible to look at). He can still defend extremely well and rebound, and I do think Calderon is a good point guard for him, but I just don’t think you guys are really building a dynasty off this trade. He’ll help you guys, but I don’t think as much as you think. Plus, Nash in 2010? Nash will be 40 years old in 2010. If he doesn’t RETIRE, he’ll probably want to finish his career either with the Suns or somehow with Dirk Nowitzki. Keep dreaming about that one. He wouldn’t even be a great help at that point.
you right dave
i am a huge raps fan and im feeling this deal!!!!!the raptors need a 3 guy who break down the perimeter defence and score at will!aswell,marion can block shots and defend and clean up the boards.in terms of his shooting,the raptors are a great shooting team and i definately think that he could get a few pointers from guys like jason kapono(back to back 3 point shootout winner)and anthony parker(one of the leagues deadliest shooters).for miami my boy j.o(t.o will miss you)but they need a big who can block shots and clean up the glass also score in the post and shoot that 12 foot jimmy, who else is miami gonna have for a 5?michael beasly?give me a break….this is a perfect trade for both teams and the coaches, fans,and players know it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
trade o’neal plzzz
we need marion for 3 point shooting and o neal is too old anyways man
shawn marion and jose and anthony parker and cb4 and andrea will be the sickest lineup.
totally makees sense..
make the tradeee c,mon man
this is a good trade for miami. THEY NEED a big man, right now they have udonis haslem. Im not saying he sucks, but he is only 6′8. So jermaine would be a big help to miami considering they dont have alonzo or shaq anymore. f&%k the raptos lol,
heat need 2 try n get bosh 4 marion marcus banks and jamal magloire then ur talkin dynasty in miami. and 2 b a dynasty u gotta win a championship atleast the heat hav done that lately… raptors suck