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Marion-for-O’Neal trade could work out great for Miami By Alden Gonzalez
02.18.2009 - Updated on 02.18.2009
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The biggest actual trade this NBA season hasn’t created close to the amount of buzz as even the rumored trades so far.
I kind of understand.
The Raptors have been great disappointments, and though the Heat – who finished with the league’s worst record last year – have made great strides, they haven’t been in the class of the Elite Three in the Eastern Conference.
But that doesn’t mean the Shawn Marion-for-Jermaine O’Neal trade wasn’t an incredible deal for Miami. And it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t get more pub than a not-gonna-happen Vince Carter-for-Tracy McGrady swap, or a fantasy three-team deal involving Chris Bosh and Amar’e Stoudemire.
Simple truth is this: The Heat won big here – really big.
Now, with a legitimate post presence to go along with one of the best perimeter players in Dwyane Wade, Miami will be a force to be reckoned with in the East playoffs. They’re not among the elites in the conference with Orlando, Boston or Cleveland, but guess what? They’re right below that tier.
They’re good enough to host a playoff series.
Good enough to get to the second round.
And, after that – with Wade’s ability to single-handedly take over a series – anything can happen.
Finally, an inside presence
You don’t need me to tell you how important a force in the middle is in the NBA, and how it could make Wade even more dangerous.
Besides, you saw what “The Flash” was able to do in the 2006 NBA Finals with an aging Shaquille O’Neal averaging a spectator 13.7 points per game.
But it won’t just help out Wade.
With James Jones, Mario Chalmers, Chris Quinn, Daequan Cook and Yakhouba Diawara, the Heat have an array of three-point shooters who will now have a lot more open looks with O’Neal drawing attention inside.
Yes, Jermaine is a true power forward. But in the East, you can get away with a 4 playing the 5 position.
Fact of the matter is, O’Neal may not be the player he was from 2001-07, but he was the best thing the Heat could’ve gotten before the free-agency floodgates opened up after the 2009-10 season.
Carlos Boozer is the biggest prize in the upcoming free-agent class but, at 6-foot-9, he can only play power forward – a position the Heat have two guys, Michael Beasley and Udonis Haslem, signed to long-term deals for.
The Heat weren’t going to get Chris Bosh for Marion. And they weren’t going to get Stoudemire, either – there’s no way Phoenix was taking “The Matrix” back.
Now, the Heat have taken away from a position they have plenty of depth at – small forward – and addressed the team’s biggest deficiency – low-post scorer.
Marion is a great player, but he just wasn’t a fit in South Beach.
Every part of the deal works
Not only did the Heat get the low-post scorer they desired, but they did two very critical things: made themselves one of the most well-positioned teams for the 2010 free-agency class – with O’Neal’s gaudy $20-plus million per year contract expiring in a couple of seasons – and got rid of seldom-used point guard Marcus Banks’ horrible contract – which calls for more than $4 million over the next three years.
Along with that, and a conditional first-round pick, the Heat got a pretty darn good player in Jamario Moon.
Jones, acquired this offseason, will likely be the Heat’s starting small forward, and Diawara – a great defender and spot-up three-point shooter – is a very capable back-up. But Moon, in his second year, has shown flashes of his potential stardom, and people around the league look at him as a future All-Star because of his unbelievable athleticism and great defense.
If the Heat can add some depth at point guard after the respective teams of Jamaal Tinsley and Stephon Marbury finally reach buyout agreements, watch out, East.
2010 could be historic
Even me – a Heat fan out of the womb – will tell you that, despite this move, the Heat are still not legitimate championship contenders because I don’t think you can win it all anymore with Jermaine as your second-best player.
The biggest perk this deal had was it gave the Heat a low-post threat who could serve as a stopgap until his deal expires and some of the best players in the NBA are available in the 2010 offseason.
I know these days there is no true loyalty, but I don’t believe for one second that Wade – single, marketable and successful – will play for a city other than Miami any time soon.
Why go anywhere else, really?
What could happen is some big-time free agents flocking down South and joining “The Flash” to form the best 1-2 combination in the game.
Maybe LeBron James’ ego won’t allow him to share the spotlight with his draft-class buddy, but Bosh and Stoudemire sure would.
One can only dream right now.
But before that time comes, here’s some hardnosed reality: The Heat, after finishing last a year ago, are legitimate contenders in the NBA right now. |
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Posted by
ibrahim sy
on 06.18.2009 | hello, my Jermain Oneal, how are you go, frankly I dream to be like you, I begen to follow you then àge 8ans of my dream that is facing you, Jermaine oneal 4life. . | Posted by
ibrahim sy
on 06.18.2009 | Currculum vitae Name-sy surname - brahim nè - 31-12-1992 size - 1m96 / 83kilos post - Elie / pivot situation of single family nationlitè - Mauritania Email - ibrahima.sy28 @ hotmail.fr Tèl 00 212 655 41 35 65 in maroc tèl 00 222 607 44 62 in Mauritania In 1998 - cantre training rosso basketball club / mauritanie 2002 - champion / cadet Cup finalist presid-ant and selected national team cade na ramportè and the Arab Maghreb championship in junior / maroc. 2005 - PLEY finals of the cup and ranporter chaired in / Junoir 2006 - Final Cut presiding 2007 - cantre training Bopp Dakar / Senegal 2008 - Zone 2 èlimatoire Cup 18ans Afique u / in Guinea with the national junior team mauritanie -ranportre Cup international tournament noiddibou / mauritanie and leading scorer of runs 2009 - Professional in Morocco with the club Codrea 2nd division, 12match, 303poins . | Posted by
ibrahim sy
on 06.18.2009 | my name is ibrahim sy, international mauritanien basket balI playeur i’m17yers old, 1,96 m, 83kg, ext 2et3 4, my only dream that is coming in the NBA, I Charche of wills, who helps me, thanks. . | Posted by
on 02.21.2009 | The heat made a better trade, marion only cares about the money. the raptors are a decent team, i watched them play while i was at a bulls game. if i were the heat, i would rather take bosh, but Oneal is better than nothing at all. basketball is about strategy and being strategic, the heat are a better team than the raptors. Wade is playing just as good if not better than anyone in the league, look at the stats, they don’t lie. however teamwork is more important. moon is very athletic and can rebound, shoot, and play decent defense. Oneal scores near the rim with a decent percentage and shot blocks, along with rebounding. the heat is a playoff team. you can’t double Oneal and wade or either one, because the heat can shoot the ball better. they will be tough to be beat. you have to rotate while playing zone defense to beat both of these teams now. . | Posted by
Bonn
on 02.20.2009 | The Heat are going to be an improved team with a big man like o’neil over marion, dont get me wrong i love marion he is one of my fav players in the NBA but on the heat he dosnt fit, he needs a pure passing PG like nash was because he is a high flyer with an average shot, o’neil will make the heat a better team though it didnt show vs teh t-wolves but the heat will be more succesful in my opion and moon weather he does anything or not banks was doing less then nothing so even if moon gives the heat a 3 a game its better then what banks did. and i see the heat winning a playoff series and its true like what wade did in 06 no1 knows . | Posted by
Raptors Fan
on 02.18.2009 | Yeah, the Heat got the raw end of that deal. JO is never going to play more then 30 games a season. Moon showed flashes of brilliance in his first year, then adopted the Vince Carter mentality in becoming a pay check player. Pay check players are the ones who have no heart, no will or desire to win and just want their pay check. Sure Marion is old and almost done, but maybe he can help spark a running for the Raptors. . | Posted by
meeee
on 02.18.2009 | deff agree with allt he comments. JO is pretty much done nd jamario takes way too many jumpers. there is no way the heat will make it past the 1st round unless oneal miraculously stays healthy . | Posted by
Writer
on 02.18.2009 | I didn’t say I personally believe Moon is a future All-Star. I haven’t seen him enough to say that. But that’s what I’ve kept hearing from people around the league — people who know a lot more about basketball than me, or anybody on this forum — and so have the Heat. Pat Riley and Micky Arison were very excited about being able to acquire him in this trade. I guess we’ll see ... . | Posted by
Jazz
on 02.18.2009 | Youre an idiot for saying Jamario’s an future all-star. Stop writing bulls---and masquerading as a professional sports writer. . | Posted by
D
on 02.18.2009 | I dont understand one thing...how can you say that Jamario Moon is a future all star?????? HOW? he played in the D-League for 10 years and finally got a chance last year with the Raps...but this year he is terrible. Every game you can see him let his player drive straight to the basket and dunk. On offense, he is even worse and the only thing that he can do is dunk in the open floor. Cant drive or shoot. If he is a future all star...so is Marcus Banks  Beyond that ... i think its a great deal for both teams. Would love to seem em go toe to toe in the playoffs (although it wont happen this year) . | Posted by
Max
on 02.18.2009 | I guess you haven’t paid attention to how many games Jermaine O’Neal has missed with the Raptors, or the strong likelihood that he will never come close to justifying even half his salary....ever. All I can say is BUYER BEWARE! Looking at Marion highlights with the Heat and having watched JO for 40+ games, it’s obvious who’s the better (and healthier) player. I’m soooo glad Raptors made this trade. . |
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