Just yesterday, things seemed quiet in Lakerland. The prominent news was that there was no news. That quiet was shattered by a report out of the Phoenix Suns organization. Shawn Marion wants to be traded - to Los Angeles. Yes, it’s true; Shawn Marion wants to be a Laker:
“…Marion told Sportingnews.com by telephone that he would welcome a trade to the Lakers to play with his good friend Kobe Bryant.
“You have a great organization, great ownership there with the Lakers. I don’t see no problems with playing there,” he told the Web site.”
link: Marion: It’s time for me to move on
The Lakers could send Lamar Odom to Phoenix for Shawn Marion. It could be seen as a win-win situation for both teams. The Lamar Odom / Kobe Bryant experiment has failed miserably. They just don’t fit well together. Lamar Odom has an abundance of talent. It seems that he defers to Kobe Bryant too much and, at times, becomes a spectator to Kobe’s magic. Lamar Odom would fit nicely with Phoenix. He is a team player and he would shine with bounce passes from Steve Nash.
Shawn Marion would be the second option on the Lakers, after Kobe Bryant. The Lakers would improve their athleticism and might be a bit more of a running team. Shawn Marion says that he loves Phoenix, the fans and his teammates. He knows that Phoenix has a far better chance of contending for the championship than the Lakers, with their present lineup. The trade out of Phoenix seems predicated on two things: money and ego. Shawn Marion wants to be appreciated. He certainly would have media attention in a high exposure market such as Los Angeles.
The question now is whether the Lakers front office will make the call to Phoenix. If I were the Lakers general manager and had Mitch Kupchak’s job, I would be calling Steve Kerr in Phoenix to finalize the trade. Immediately. With Shawn Marion’s comments, it would be difficult to open the Suns training camp with the knowledge that one of their core players wants a trade. As the general manager of the Phoenix Suns, Steve Kerr could restore the team’s focus quickly by making the trade with the Lakers. Then Mr Kerr could sit back and watch his former coach, Phil Jackson, managing the unfolding soap opera. It would be entertaining - Marion, Bryant, Jackson and a cranky group of Los Angeles sports writers.
Catherine
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