What a strange year it has been for the Phoenix Suns.  No, not just this season (but, yeah, that’s been strange too), but exactly one year ago Shaquille O’Neal was on his way to the Suns, setting in motion the beginning of the end of the “seven seconds or less” era, and probably the Steve Nash and/or Amare Stoudemire one as well.  Was the Shaq trade well worth the wait Suns fans have endured in regards to having a true center on the roster?  He is, after all, probably the Suns best, most consistent player and probably not the root cause of the Suns problems this year.  But Shaq might be the indirect cause of the D’Antoni era coming to end and, thereby, the Nash one as well.  So, one year later, was the Shaq trade worth it?  Let’s debate:

Shaquille O’Neal        Shawn Marion

2008-09 Statistics

PPG 17.8                    PPG 12.1

RPG 9.0                      RPG 8.9

APG 1.7                      APG 1.8

SPG 0.4                      SPG 1.4

BPG 1.6                      BPG 1.1

FG% 0.595                 FG% 0.481

FT% 0.622                 FT% 0.775

3P% 0.000                  3P% 0.216

MPG 30.8                   MPG 36.0

$ 21.1                          $ 17.81

09-10$ 20                    09-10$ FA

In summary, Shaq is an All-Star center providing consistent offense and rebounding, solid low post defense on a team that has next to none, has been healthy throughout his 1 ½ year tenure, is as marketable and charismatic as ever, as solid a teammate and locker-room influence as you can find as well as a top-notch community advocate, and yet the question still remains- would you pull the trigger on the Marion trade one year later?

Of course not.