The relative quiet of the Suns off-season was broken today, just a few days before the start of the training camp, by a disturbing trade request from Shawn Marion. He says he is upset at the unending trade rumors and the Suns refusal to extend him beyond the two monster contract years he has. He says the Suns almost tried to force him to Boston and he didn't like that at all. I kind of see his point regarding the trade rumors. It is kind of disrespectful. Of course ultimately all of this is about money. I am sure he will be happy if they extend him at whatever price he wants. He wouldn't be this bothered by the trade rumors if he gets paid. From the Suns side, there is no way they extend him. They just don't have the money to pay the luxury tax and thats the only reason he is even in half the trade rumors in the first place. It's not like the Suns really want to get rid of him. Essentially, it's more of a money issue on both sides.
I am upset that there's always something the last 3 years with this team. There is never a smooth season with the Suns even with all this talent and potential. If it's not Amare's stunning injury, it's trying to integrate him back. If it's not Amare, then it's Matrix asking for a trade. I am sick of this and it almost feels like their is a curse around this franchise. All this team is missing after almost 40 futile years is a catchy name for the curse. Matrix says he will show up and play if he is not traded and I totally believe him. I think he will be the same Matrix when he plays and he is just not wired to be a trouble-maker. But you got to wonder what this does to the already fragile chemistry of this team. If Nash takes care of that and Matrix doesn't go "operation shutdown" a la Derek Bell, I think the Suns will be fine. Matrix might actually have his best year this season because he will be playing for a contract. So I hope the Suns keep him and win one finally.
The trade rumors and options are flat-out scary. It's apparently either Lamar Odom or Andrei Kirilenko. I love both these players, but I just realized I didn't love them enough to replace the Matrix with them :-) The problem with both the guys is that they are injury-prone and the Suns don't have the depth to deal with that. I don't remember watching many Suns game without Marion and that'll not be the case with either of those guys. AK-47 will fit this style and will be awesome defensively but he can't shoot to save his life. Odom is a better offensive player and shooter than Marion but can't run. If somebody put a gun to my head and forced me to pick between these 2 options, I might go with AK-47 only because he is athletic and better defensively. Lamar is just not reliable or consistent. But the Suns lose something either way with these trades though both are younger and taller than Marion. There is only one Matrix and AK-47 is the closest imitation. Life will not be the same for the Suns fan without the Matrix.
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