Time to hit the Suns panic button

I was critical of Cleveland's recent trade because they didn't get enough offense for what they were giving up. But I concede that they could still go somewhere if LeBron averaged a triple-double in the playoffs. There isn't as much hope in Phoenix though. Unless the Suns get a big free agent in the offseason, the Nash-Amare hit parade comes to an end this year.

Shawn Marion was one of, if the not most complete player in the entire league. He gave Phoenix 20 points, 10 boards, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and played pretty good defense. Shaquille O'Neal doesn't equal any of Marion's numbers, is older, and has appeared to be a burden on the Suns' "seven seconds or less" offense. I kept hearing how Shaq was going to make things better by playing defense, yet the Suns have given up 113 or more points in four of the five games since they traded for him.

Had Shawn Marion not made it clear that he was leaving when his contract ran out, Steve Kerr wouldn't have pulled the trigger. Phoenix's title chances now look remarkably thin. They only play seven people, and one of them is 36 yr-old Shaquille O'Neal. They don't have the durability to make through the insanely deep Western Conference, and their defense actually looks worse. You can be optimistic all you want, but right now Kerr's trade is leaning towards the "idiot" side.