It's Official: Shaq Traded to the Suns for Marion and Banks

by Brett Edwards

After a day of rumors and speculation, the imminent deal between the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns is now official. Here are the obligatory, gushing remarks from Suns' General Manager Steve Kerr:

“We’re thrilled to add a player and person of Shaquille’s quality to our roster,” President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr said. “We believe this addition strengthens our team. We thank Shawn and Marcus for their contributions to our team. Shawn in particular has been a tremendous player for this organization the past eight-and-a-half years and his impact both on and off the court in Phoenix will not be forgotten.”

I always thought Shawn Marion was unhappy in Phoenix because he felt he was good enough to be the number one option on a team, and now he's going to share the court with Dwyane Wade for (most) of the season. We'll see if this deal makes him happy. As for Shaq, it'll be interesting to see just how motivated he is to show that the ring he helped the Heat get a couple of years ago was more than just a fluke. Things are about to get way more interesting out West, something I wasn't sure was even possible.