Suns Trade Marion and Banks for Shaq

ESPN reported early Wednesday that the Heat has agreed to trade Shaquille O'Neal, the superstar center who arrived at the Miami Heat's doorstep in a diesel truck and then helped drive the team to an NBA championship, to the Phoenix Suns pending O'Neal passing a physical exam in Phoenix on Wednesday.

The Heat is expected to receive forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks in exchange for O'Neal. ESPN's report followed a Miami Herald report that the Heat had informed O'Neal that a trade to Phoenix was a strong possibility.

O'Neal, nicknamed The Diesel, was introduced amid much fanfare when he was traded to the Heat before the 2004 season. He rolled up to AmericanAirlines Arena in a diesel truck and never looked back as he and Dwyane Wade pulled the franchise into the Eastern Conference Finals and then the 2005-06 championship series, in which they beat the Dallas Mavericks.

Since then, however, the franchise has declined, losing in the first round of the playoffs last season and standing about halfway through the current season at a league-worst 9-37.

NO COMMENT

Heat President Pat Riley, who has denied speculation of an O'Neal trade in the past, declined to comment Tuesday night. O'Neal has reportedly contacted Phoenix players.

Though Riley has said otherwise, an official close to the situation said Miami has spoken openly in recent days of trying to unload O'Neal's contract and clear salary cap room for either next season or the year after, depending on whether Marion opts of his contract this summer. O'Neal is in the third year of a five-year, $100 million contract and is due $20 million each of the next two seasons.

Riley said earlier Tuesday that O'Neal was scheduled to have an MRI procedure on his ailing left hip, which has kept him out of the past six games. ''We just want to see what it shows,'' Riley said.

Riley gave no indication of when O'Neal might return, but said he must strengthen his leg before doing so.

O'Neal, who will turn 36 on March 6, is averaging a career-low 14.2 points and was not named to this month's All-Star roster after 14 previous appearances. O'Neal is averaging 7.8 rebounds and has battled frequent foul trouble, which has limited him to 28.3 minutes per game. His field-goal percentage (58 percent) is sixth-best in the league.

PLAYED LIKE A CHAMP

Acquired by the Heat from the Los Angeles Lakers in July 2004, O'Neal averaged 22.9 points and 10.4 rebounds in 73 games during the Heat's championship season.

But injuries limited him to 40 games last season, and his averages slipped to 17.3 points and 7.4 rebounds. This season, he has played in 32 of the Heat's 46 games.

After this season, Marion can opt out of the final year of his contract worth $17.2 million. Marion, 29, a four-time All-Star and considered one of the league's most athletic small forwards, is averaging 15.8 points and 9.9 rebounds this season.

Banks, 26, was the 13th pick of the 2003 draft but has struggled to find minutes in his two seasons in Phoenix because he's playing behind All-Star point guard Steve Nash. He's averaging 5.2 points and 1.0 assists. After this season, Banks has three years left on his contract, worth a total of $13.4 million.

If the Heat acquires Marion and he opts out of his deal this summer, Miami would have substantial salary cap space to shop in an appealing free-agent class that could include Gilbert Arenas, Baron Davis, Elton Brand, Antawn Jamison, Ron Artest and Corey Maggette.

Via MiamiHerald