Give it a bit more time. That record can't be fully blamed on Shaq. The Suns add Giricek to the rotation along with adding Johnson with a 10 day contract. 3 new guys to a squad, plus losing a starter is going to impact any team.

It's going to take both Shaq and Giricek some time to gain "Suns fitness" and play the tempo. It would be safe to say that the Suns have slowed down, but to Shaq and Giri it would be the quickest tempo they have played in years.

Nash and Amare has to learn to play with Shaq and vise-versa.

I really want to see how the Suns play against the Spurs to decide if this trade was bad or not.

Who knows, maybe the Suns falter and miss the playoff, (one very good team is missing out) and are lottery bound.

True....i reckon Dallas aint that far behind the Suns either

They are slipping down the ladder

Where a team is 11 games over .500 and still miss out on the playoffs you know it's a great conference.

There are only 3 teams in the leastern Conf with more wins than the 9th ranked team (Denver) in the West.

The Suns are only three games from the 8th seed and four games from the lottery.

I expect the Suns to struggle for the playoffs, and then finally click for the playoffs.

I do wonder if Suns fans regret some of the names talked about before the Shaq trade (Okafor, Sheed, AK47 and Odom) and wished they went this route instead of the Shaq path.

Fez, your Laker Gasol trade changed the whole dynamics of the West with numerous other teams making moves purely to combat the Gasol steal.

If the play offs were today they would look like:

1. Spurs vs. 8. Warriors
2. Lakers vs. 7. Mavericks
3. Hornets vs. 6. Suns
4. Jazz vs. 5. Rockets

Western Conference is loaded....

Yeah i know, but even had they kept Marion, and maybe looked towards a Webber to fill the gaps, i think they wouldve been better off

They were a athletic running team

Yes Amare may have struggled to guard a Bynum or Duncan or Yao......but down the other end they to wouldnt have the athletic ability to go with him

Same as playing Marion at the PF position

I know its early days, but i think its become a backward step for em

Look at the Spurs....they didnt trade half their team for a star recruit....they went out and got Kurt Thomas, a veteran who will help em combat the Gasol and Bynum duo

Time will tell i guess

Shaq is in Phoenix for the Playoffs. He will come through in the playoffs. THe guy had 12 and 18 tonight against denver, so how can that be bad for the team?

You can only judge this trade by playoff success, because that was the sole reason it was made.

My god! Felzington made a post that does not look like a SMS. Good job Rainman

Lakers Suck.....should i ask Isaac to put a spell check on here for you?

Of the suns next 21 games they face 15 teams that are above .500

The got a tough run home

But, i guess in a few months time we will see if that trade was truly a success or not

Well they lost today to a Yao-Less Rockets

Dallas are Kaput my friends

The Kidd to Dallas trade hasn't made The Mavs any better, i think that perhaps it has made them worse, because Kidd lacks defense(in my opinion he is too slow to stay in front of the great west guards in Iverson and Baron and Paul). His defense wasnt a problem in the East because he was defending much weaker PG'S e.g Conley,Rondo,Mo Williams and Jameer Nelson who aren't near the level of the West Guards.

The Suns trade will work out for them I think. Shaq is so dominant and he adds to their rebounding and shot blocking ability. I mean u look at their team and with Shaq they have a complete team. Amare playing as a center wasn't right. He needs to be a Power Forward because thats where he is comfortable.
You look at the Suns lineup:
Nash(all star)
Shaq(has been an all star)
Amare(all star)
Raja Bell(excellent defender)
Grant Hill(a great all round player-ex all star)
Giricek(handy player)

Thats 4 All Stars(both current and ex) that are in the lineup. They will be a great team just give them time to gel

They will be a great team just give them time to gel

If they got Shaq to combat Duncan, the (first?) test was Sunday night where the Suns beat the Spurs. Shaq 14 and 16. Duncan 17 and 10.