Rumor: Marion to Seattle?

http://draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=1369

To sum it up:

Suns get:
-Rashard Lewis
-Danny Fortson
-#10

Sonics Get:
-Shawn Marion
-Leandro Barbosa
-#27

I definitely think this is better for the Suns than the Chicago rumor was. However, any way you look at it, Rashard Lewis is still a step down from Shawn Marion. The thing that make this trade VERY interesting:

-The possibility of drafting Marcus Williams or Rodney Carney with the #10

Also, Marion makes about 5 mil less than Lewis next year.

DraftExpress.com is the same website that reported the JJ to ATL deal before it happened last year...this is not a site that writes stuff without sources.

Thoughts?

From a Seattle standpoint it looks interesting. Marion teamed with Allen could be very dangerous. Ridinour is only getting better and Wilcox could be putting up pretty good numbers this year.

Phoenix on the other hand has a problem. If they are looking to move Marion (I don't really believe they are, but for the sake of argument) then this is the best they can get. This is an excellent offer for Phoenix, but its still a step down. They will not contend for a championship without Marion. He is too important to them rebounding wise and defensively. A front court of Lewis/Diaw/Stoudamire just won't rebound very well.

I don't see Phoenix doing this trade, but if they do, I completely reverse what I've said about Seattle being lottery bound. Watch out for them.

I'm not sure I like this. Being an avid Sonic fan, I absolutely love Rashard Lewis. He is the longest tenured sonic (drafted in the 1997/1998 season with I believe the last or second to last pick).

He's was there in their Gary Payton/Vin Baker days and Seattle fans watched him grow up from the young high schooler he was.

All that aside, I think he's also extremely talented. He's 6'10'' but he's one of the top shooters in the league, and he really fits into the Seattle style, and he can score with the best of them. He dropped 52 pts in a game verses the clippers in Japan in the 2003/2004 season. He's had multiple 30-40 pt games since then.

Of course there are a lot of rumours swirling around about trading him, but I'm not so sure trading him for Marion is the right step to take. Marion would obviously play small forward with the Sonics, and I dont know if he has the perimeter game that would fit into Seattle's shooting style. Seattle is basically the poor man's Suns. They have the talent with Ridnour to have a run and gun offense, but they just dont have the speed that the Suns do. Just imagine for a moment Ray Allen playing on the Suns and the 30ppg he'd average....

But, I just dont think this is a good idea. They have Ridnour/Watson running their backcourt for years to come so Barbosa seems unneccessary, and Marion just doesnt seem to play the style of ball he would with the Sonics. I also see him not being an allstar in Seattle because they wouldnt taste the same amount of success as Phoenix.

While the Sonics desperatley need to rid themselves of Fortson, Rashard is talented and I think they should explore other options for him, or even keep him. If they trade him he must be traded for a big man. Damien Wilkins is definitely talented enough to be the starting SF so a replacement wouldnt be such a huge deal.

Here's the thing..I don't think many people realize it, but Marion rarely ever creates points for himself. He gets points from broken plays, offensive rebounds, etc. Phoenix is a great system for him to do that in. Now Seattle also plays a run-and-gun style, so maybe he'll thrive there.

Marion is our best rebounder, but Lewis and Amare are both 6'10 and athletic beasts. And occasionally, Kurt Thomas would be in there, assuming he stays (which I believe he will).

Again, Sarver wants to stay under the luxury tax. With Diaw expecting a max contract, Marion will either be gone this year or next.

A few more thoughts...

Imagine the different lineups the Suns could put on the floor. A starting lineup might be:

Nash, Bell, Lewis, Diaw, Amare

We know that Lewis has better ball-handling and shooting abilities than Marion. He can potentially play the two. Imagine a lineup of:

Nash, Lewis, Diaw, Thomas, Amare

Now that lineup would create matchup nighttmares. And you'd have Bell and the #10 pick coming off the bench.

They have Ridnour/Watson running their backcourt for years to come so Barbosa seems unneccessary

I was thinking that too. I came up with two conclusions:

1. Ridnour would somehow be involved in the deal (I would shit my pants, Ridnour is Steve Nash Jr.---I don't think this will happen)
2. Seattle would put Barbosa at SG, which is really the position he thrives at, because he's not a great decision maker.

I don't think this is a good deal for Phoenix. They lose their best bench player, who has the potential to be an all-star in a few years and take the starting position from Raja Bell. Also they would lose one of the best all-around players in the game in Marion... their best post defender, rebounder, and shot blocker...

Rashard Lewis is just an overpaid shooter, imo... and Danny Fortson is just a prick who can't play worth shit. I don't see any advantage to this trade at all... but big surprise now that Bryan Collangelo is gone.

Silas it frustrates me to read your post!!! I feel like you are an honestly true Sonics fan, and I loved the Sonics teams of the 90s too, but I think you need to look from a perspective that isn't so emotionally tied to Rashard. This trade is an opportunity to put the Suns in the top 5 in the West. I would rank them just ahead of the Clippers if this trade went down. Lets first look at it on paper, because Barbosa is a shooting guard, you seem to think he's a point.

Ridnour/Watson
Allen/Barbosa
Marion/Wilkins
Wilcox/Collison
Collison/Swift/Petro

Marion would be the absolute perfect compliment to Ray Allen. Imagine a guy like Shawn Marion who can get to the rim so well and draw double teams with Ray Allen to kick it out to. Imagine someone having to always chase Allen while also having someone with the task of staying in front of Marion. Imagine Ridnour with all these options and having too blue collar guys in Wilcox and Collison who can clean up all the garbage. The other great thing about those two guys is that they can get theirs offensively too. I think they would both have career years with so much pressure on 3 other guys. Look for 10/7 from Collison and 15/8 from Wilcox.

Plus that bench can really score the basketball.

I don't think this is a good deal for Phoenix. They lose their best bench player, who has the potential to be an all-star in a few years and take the starting position from Raja Bell. Also they would lose one of the best all-around players in the game in Marion... their best post defender, rebounder, and shot blocker...

You have to remember that Robert Sarver doesn't want to pay the luxury tax; Marion makes 5 mil more than Lewis, and he comes off the books in 2 years. Also the starting lineup would probably include Raja at SF, with Kurt Thomas off the bench (assuming he stays) as well as the #10 pick, who could be a much need backup for Steve Nash (Marcus Williams), or an athletic beast who has been referred to as "Matrix Jr." (Rodney Carney).

EDIT: The Suns also have the #21

Danny Fortson is just a prick who can't play worth shit.

I agree. Him and Jerry Colangelo have had their beefs as well...however, I have a feeling that this trade is pending until the Suns find a team to take Fortson off their hands (Hello Isiah!).

I think its not bad for both teams, but I dont think the Suns should give up te number 27. They should draft 2 good rookies and Steve Nash could make them better like he did with Bell, Amare, and Diaw.

I think its not bad for both teams, but I dont think the Suns should give up te number 27. They should draft 2 good rookies and Steve Nash could make them better like he did with Bell, Amare, and Diaw.

They would get the #10 in return.

Is rashard lewis a FA after the 07 season?

Is rashard lewis a FA after the 07 season?

He has a player option in 07/08, but I don't know if that transfers over if he gets traded to Phoenix...if it doesn't, then yes, he's a FA after 07.

I think it's a good deal for both teams. Although Marion is a great player, Lewis might suit the Suns better. Marion could score, but a lot of those points comes from Diaw and Nash's passes. There is nothing wrong with that but Suns may prefer a player who can shoot better. I must say, Lewis is a step down for them. But the #10 pick should help.

Lewis is a score who can shoot. He's more offensive minded than Marion, but lack the defense, when was the last time Lewis got 10 rebounds? But Lewis's offense is just what the Suns need. Suns also save about 5 mil, and get the #10 pick. I don't think this year's draft will produce any good player late in the first round, the #27th pick isn't a great value.

This trade will give Diaw more playing time, since Amare is coming back. With Stoudemire and Marion on the roster, Diaw will see less minutes than this year.
And the extra 5 mill will go towards resigning Diaw.

yesterday the same web site said that Marion would go to Chicago for Chandler
So wait and see.

If they trade Marion I hope they won't trade Barbosa with him (seattle do not need a third PG)

Marion AND Barbosa? You're kidding me.

Marion isn't really an offensive player, but he's still going to get you 20 points regardless. Barbosa also has a lot of potential and is a good defender.

Althouh Lewis is like 6'10 he's still not very good defensively. Marion pretty much kicks his butt in that department.

Does anyone know why there's so many rumors that Phoenix is trying to move Marion out of town? I don't understand why they would do such a thing...

You guys are forgetting the main idea; the Suns' owner does not want to pay the luxury tax. Diaw is going to expect a max contract, and there's no way we can pay Diaw, Amare, Nash, and Marion max contractrs. Therefore, one has to go...and it's going to be Marion, whether it happens this year or next.

If Barbosa expects anything close to a max contract, he's gotta go. He's not worth more than what the Suns are paying Bell (about 5 mil a year). Personally, I'd rather have a true PG in Marcus Williams rather than Barbosa.

Silas it frustrates me to read your post!!! I feel like you are an honestly true Sonics fan, and I loved the Sonics teams of the 90s too, but I think you need to look from a perspective that isn't so emotionally tied to Rashard. This trade is an opportunity to put the Suns in the top 5 in the West. I would rank them just ahead of the Clippers if this trade went down. Lets first look at it on paper, because Barbosa is a shooting guard, you seem to think he's a point.

Ridnour/Watson
Allen/Barbosa
Marion/Wilkins
Wilcox/Collison
Collison/Swift/Petro

Marion would be the absolute perfect compliment to Ray Allen. Imagine a guy like Shawn Marion who can get to the rim so well and draw double teams with Ray Allen to kick it out to. Imagine someone having to always chase Allen while also having someone with the task of staying in front of Marion. Imagine Ridnour with all these options and having too blue collar guys in Wilcox and Collison who can clean up all the garbage. The other great thing about those two guys is that they can get theirs offensively too. I think they would both have career years with so much pressure on 3 other guys. Look for 10/7 from Collison and 15/8 from Wilcox.

Plus that bench can really score the basketball.

The problem is that they dont need Barbosa, they need a pure SG, but one that they'll probably draft. Barbosa is a PG/SG, like Antonio Daniels or Juan Dixon. He plays the two, but they already have Earl Watson who goes in and plays both SG and PG off the bench. On top of that Damien Wilkins plays SG/SF off the bench, so I think they'll draft a SG who wont see much playing time and eventually will learn to play in the system, so Barbosa seems like an unneccessary tool.

Also, With Marion he is less of a scorer than Rashard, so there is more pressure on everyone else to score more, which with have Wilcox may even out fine, but there is still a big offensive force missing that Rashard provided. I'm not so sure if this trade is a good idea, BUT, it would make things very exciting so I think it would liven up the sometimes dead Seattle fans.

why would the suns trade marion? did he request it or something?

i don't see why phoenix would do this. Marion is a pretty good rebounder and fits right into the flow of there system. Sure he pulls a peja in the playoffs, but I don't think that's enough of a reason to get rid of him. Marion rumors been hot though, pretty much because of the draft. Maybe phoenix sees something that would help them in the draft (remember chandler+2nd pick rumors)

No the Suns Owner does not want to pay four max contracts in Marion, Nash, Amare and Diaw so he is looking to offload one of them that being Marion.

Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni also told the East Valley/Scottsdale (Ariz.) Tribune this week that Marion is not on the market.

"You can ignore it [the rumors],'' D'Antoni said. "I'll tell you what's going to happen: Someone will call me and I'll listen, because you always have to listen. And then we'll go, 'No.' And then it will be in the paper the next day that we're interested.

''You have to roll with the punches, but Shawn knows we're close, and we're not doing anything like that.''

Eh..the more I think about it, the more I don't like it. We had enough trouble rebounding this year with Marion. Losing his 10+ rpg would probably make us the worst rebounding team in the league. I'd prefer to keep him one more year, just because the Suns are sooooo close to being good enough. If they don't win it all this year, then he can be shopped around.

i duno why he would get rid of marion though hes a beast

Noooo...

I don't want suns to do this. Lewis is a more talented scorer, and i actually don't mind him as a player, but Marion does so much more and does them well. Plus we don't need to shakeup the roster. With Amare's return we're looking at being a serious contender for the prize. What if trading for Lewis stuffs things up?

I suppose the Suns would know what they're doing. But i hope these rumours are untrue.