Shawn Marion Setting on the Suns?
Rumors from Phoenix are that Shawn “The Matrix” Marion is unhappy with the Suns not wanting to talk about a contract extension with him, and that the possibility that he wants out of Phoenix is becoming greater. Marion is a four time all-star, and is one of the most explosive players in the league. . .and also the highest paid on the Phoenix roster. The high-flying superstar is set to make just over $16 million this year, and just under $18 the next, but he’s still angling for a $60 million 3-year deal from the club. Sure, an NBA forward that averages almost 20 points per game with 10 rebounds, and who can just as easily drain a three as slice the lane and throw down a power jam is an extremely valuable asset for any team, and Marion is a unique player, but $20 million per year? Steve Nash is a two-time league MVP, and narrowly missed a third last year. Nash is thought by most experts to be one of the top ten point guards to ever play the game. Nash is playing on a 6 year, $66 million salary.
Some other, probably far-fetched, rumors have Phoenix looking to trade Marion to the division rival, Lakers for Lamar Odom and Brian Cook. No doubt, the Lakers would not hesitate to pull the trigger on that trade, having missed out on the Kevin Garnett sweepstakes earlier in the summer, and with Kobe Bryant unhappy about the roster. It would be hard to see the Suns trading an athletic forward, who has only missed a handful of games over the past few seasons, for an injury-prone one.
Phoenix will be a contender again this year, and has made a few additions in the offseason. The team signed veteran Grant Hill, and drafted two interesting rookies, Alando Tucker and D.J. Strawberry. At this point in the offseason, many players are making noise about contract extensions, and use the media for leverage against the front office, so perhaps Marion is just tweaking management a bit. Phoenix fans should hope so, because the athletic forward is an important piece to Phoenix’s high-octane scoring philosophy, and a key player in the team’s chances.
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