Marion Unlikely to be Traded

Shawn Marion has recently requested a change of scenery, but don't expect the Suns to accommodate him. He has said in the past that he would be interested in being the best player on a worse team, so that perhaps he could get some of the recognition he deserves. It's hard to see the Suns trading him, but if so there are some decent options available. Andrei Kirilenko comes to mind, as does Lamar Odom, but neither of these players could make Phoenix any better.

The fact is that it's hard to envision any player, save someone at the level of Kevin Garnett, could give the Suns even value, simply because Marion is a perfect fit for the Suns. He's one of the top defenders in the league, as well as one of the most versatile, on a team that is otherwise fairly poor defensively. He is extremely athletic and is adept and running and finishing the fastbreak. Marion also has a good enough three-point shot to take advantage the openings created by Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. He creates mismatches on the offensive end with his quickness and athleticism, but is strong enough and a good enough rebounder that he is not exploited on the other end.

If the Suns trade him, they will not acquire a player who fills all these needs. If they were to swap him for Kirilenko, they would get a good defender and a great shot-blocker, but an inferior rebounder and shooter. Odom would provide better shooting, but he is a worse defender and he has had trouble staying healthy in recent years. Of the two, Kirilenko would be preferable due to his defense, but it's hard to see Marion having much success in Utah.

The best trade might be a three way deal, sending Marion to LA, Odom to Utah, and Kirilenko to Phoenix (with a couple throw-ins involved to make the numbers work). Marion would give Kobe rebounding and defense, as well as some scoring, Odom would give Utah some more offense and a better shooter, as well as some flexibility, and Kirilenko would (for the most part) replace Marion's defense and might even be able to run the point for a brief time now and again while Nash takes a breather.

That said, Marion is still a far better fit for the Suns and any trade would be a downgrade. Odds are the Suns will hold off on a trade unless Marion's sulking becomes a major distraction. If that is the case, the Suns have to make a move and try to win a championship while Nash is still at his best. Nash seems to be aging gracefully, since he doesn't rely on athleticism to be a great player, but he is 33 and can't be expected to put up MVP-caliber numbers through his mid-to-late 30's. The Suns can hardly afford to have a disruptive Marion waste another great year from Nash.

Still, no need for Suns fans to panic. Most likely Marion will come to his senses and will remain in Phoenix. The Matrix has to realize that being The One isn't all it's cracked up to be. Just ask Allen Iverson, Paul Pierce, and Kobe Bryant (who are all far more talented than Marion) how that worked out for them.