The Cleveland Cavaliers sent Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace to Phoenix for Shaquille O'Neal. The trade vastly improves the Cavs interior without losing anything. The two combined for 41 minutes and 7 points a game. And, neither played over 70 games. Shaq averaged over 17 points and 8 rebounds. With Ilgauskas averaging 27 minutes a game, it won't be that much different with Shaq there. Both are older centers that have had a hard time staying healthy. With the two together, it will help both of them out. Signing Anderson Varejo is the next step.
For the Suns, it has been a series of bad moves. First, not keeping their coach, trading the Matrix, and now trading Shaq for two players just to dump salary. That's what this trade amounts to. Grant Hill is a free agent and likely will go else where. They still have Steve Nash, Leonardo Barbosa, Jason Richardson, and Amarie Stoudamire. Matt Barnes is a free agent and averaged 10 points and 5 rebounds. He should be resigned. Robin Lopez is in his second year. Last year he averaged 10 minutes a game. So, if Ben Wallace doesn't retire, expect his minutes and Pavlovic's to both go up. This team will still compete. Right now, they just don't have the depth.
