Walton slams Shaq, Shaq slams Walton

In the following video, we hear Bill Walton criticizing Shaq. We then hear Shaq's response. Walton says that Shaq has claimed injury all season long with the Heat, that when he did play he was about to break the NBA record for most consecutive games fouling out, and then says that Shaq making proclamations that he will carry the Suns to the title as ridiculous. Shaq then says that Walton shouldn't be able to talk about him, since Walton wasn't as good a player as Shaq was, and that Walton is a hypocrite because he was often injured.

Here's the thing. Walton is 100% correct. I am no lover of Walton, he is a terrible announcer prone to hyperbole and loose dentures. However, I have seen Shaq every game since he joined the Heat and he is a man in serious decline, especially this year. If Shaq plays like he did on the Heat and thinks he is putting the Suns over the top, he is crazy. If Shaq plays like a beast and DOES put the Suns on his back, then he has been goldbricking it here for the last season and a half (only about $30 million in salary).

Also, Shaq slamming Walton's credentials is very obnoxious. Surely, Shaq has had a better career than Walton, but Shaq is arguably one of the top 10 or 20 players of all time. Walton is also one of the all time greats, a Hall of Famer in his own right, one of the top collegiate players of all time as well, before his injuries kicked in. This isn't Tim Legler or John Salley being critical of Shaq.

Shaq has always been about himself, but his genial demeanor and all around good naturedness masks it. His subtle digs at Wade, Riley, and the Heat's medical team didn't sit well with me, and this just adds to it.

Shaquille O'Neal being traded to the Suns?

The Miami Herald and local sports radio is reporting this rumor:

Heat in serious talks to trade Shaq
BY BARRY JACKSON

The Heat has told center Shaquille O'Neal's representation that it is talking about trading him and he should be prepared for the possibility of a deal, according to two officials close to the situation. Phoenix has discussed sending forward Shawn Marion and point guard Marcus Banks to the Heat in return for O'Neal.

Asked for confirmation, one of O'Neal's representatives said O'Neal has been made aware that discussions with Phoenix are serious and ongoing, but that a deal was not definite.
Dallas also has been mentioned as a potential destination, though the Heat had not immediately informed O'Neal of that possibility.

O'Neal, 35, was shocked by the turn of events, an associate said. O'Neal helped lead the Heat to the 2005-06 championship, but Miami has struggled since, losing in the first round of the playoffs last season and opening this season with a league-worst 9-37 record.
After this season, Marion can opt out of the last year of his contract worth $17.1 million. If Marion opts out, trading O'Neal would give the Heat substantial salary cap space this offseason, when potential free agents include Gilbert Arenas, Baron Davis, Elton Brand, Antawn Jamison, Ron Artest and Corey Maggette.

Marion, 29, is a four-time All-Star and considered one of the NBA's most athletic small forwards. Marion, 6-7, is averaging 15.8 points and 9.9 rebounds.

Banks, 26, is averaging 5.2 points and 1.0 assists. After this season, he has three years left on his contract worth a total of $13.4 million.

O'Neal, who has been out with a hip injury, has two years left on his contract after this season. He will be paid $20 million each of the next two seasons.

On Tuesday, coach Pat Riley said O'Neal was scheduled to have a magnetic resonance imaging exam on his ailing left hip, which has kept him out the past six games.

''We just want to back it up and see, after two weeks, what it shows,'' Riley said.
Riley gave no indication as to when O'Neal would return to the lineup. Riley said O'Neal must strengthen his legs before returning to action, and that the center will be one of six players to miss Wednesday's game at Detroit.

Heat officials were on their way to Detroit and could not be reached for comment."

All I can say is if it happens: Wow. I don't get why the Suns would do it. Anyone who has watched Shaq this year knows his gas tank is near "E". Perhaps they think he would be invigorated by going to them. Perhaps he thinks playing alongside all world point guard Steve Nash, and great players like Amare Stoudamire, Leandro Barbosa and the like in Mike D'Antoini's system would make the game easy for him. Maybe they think they tried for years with Marion and it didn't work, so why would it this year. Maybe they think with the Lakers adding Pau Gasol, along with Tim Duncan on the Spurs, they need their own force in the pivot (although what is Stoudamire, chopped liver?).

For the Heat it makes tremendous sense: Marcus Banks automatically can be their starting PG if they trade Williams, or at worst a backup. Marion is an all star caliber player, and his contract expires a year sooner than Shaq's - they can keep him, they can trade him in the offseason, or they can let him walk in 2009 and get the cap room. I think if it happens, you'll see a series of other moves reminiscent of the 1996 trade deadline when Riley invented the maneuver of trading for cap space:

In one of the biggest trading days in NBA history, Miami acquired guard Tim Hardaway and forward/center Chris Gatling from Golden State for forward/center Kevin Willis and guard Bimbo Coles. Acquired forward/guard Walt Williams and forward Tyrone Corbin from Sacramento for guard/forward Billy Owens and forward/guard Kevin Gamble. Acquired guard Tony Smith from Phoenix for guard Terrence Rencher. Signed guard Jeff Malone to a second 10-day contract.

J-Will could go, Ricky could go, Udonis (sadly) could go. Everyone not named Wade could be on the block.

The next few days will be verrrrry interesting