I’m getting bombarded with anti-Shaq trade e-mails this week. Some people are thrilled that I came out so strongly against the trade. I’ve got some e-mails upset that I don’t remind people everyday that I was against the Shaq trade. One e-mailer called me a homer because I’m not going after the Suns anymore for the trade, accusing me of succumbing to the Suns to appease them.

Well let’s examine that for a second.

1) That idea has to be based on the fact the Suns care about my opinion. (They don’t.)

2) I don’t see the point in ripping the Suns because I already did. I believe in stating my opinion and then watching to see if I’m right or wrong.

Let me explain again. I don’t think you trade your best defender and rebounder to get better on defense and on the boards. I don’t think you improve chemistry by trading for someone who’s never played the role you’re asking him to play.

Now let me make a point that is much more important than the last one. I AM NOT RIGHT AFTER 4 GAMES.

If you were against the Shaq trade, you haven’t been proven right yet. The Shaq trade was made because Steve Kerr and Mike D’Antoni felt the Suns had a better chance to win the 2008 NBA Championship with Shaq and without Marion. Nothing has happened in the last 4 games that has cost the Suns the championship.

The torching of Kerr for the trade is fair at the time of the trade. What’s not fair is to use the last 4 games as evidence against him. I didn’t think this was a good trade for the reasons I’ve said and because I don’t believe Shaq has 2 ½ years of health left that will be worth $50 million. Everything I’ve said is wrong if the Suns win the championship. I also will recant if the Suns make it to the NBA Finals. I don’t know if Marion and the Suns would have won a championship, I do know they haven’t won one yet.

Imagine you and four co-horts have a huge presentation to make. You’re given 6 months to prepare. Then, six weeks before the presentation, management dumps the third most important person–who’s been around for 7 years–and replaced him with the biggest personality in your entire industry. Oh, and by the way, he’s also the third best in the history of his position. Now accept the fact that you’re pretty good at your job anyway. So the new guy who’s one of the best of all time has to change because you’re already 4 ½ months in but you’ve got to bring out the best in him so you can be ready for the presentation.

The situation with the Suns is exactly the same. How do you think that presentation would go if three days after the change is made it’s time to move up the day of the presentation to today? It wouldn’t work. The presentation would go up in flames. Please don’t ask the Suns to play a February game with playoff chemistry after making this significant of a change. No one has moved up the date of the presentation…or the playoffs.