Rumor: Cleveland Trade / Shawn Marion

[FanInTheSouth]

Yahoo Sports reports that the Cavs are in discussions to swap Wally and Varejao for Shawn Marion.  If they make this trade, should we feel more or less threatened by them?  Marion is a great player, but also seems like somewhat of a headcase, and losing Varejao makes them weaker inside.  Thoughts?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Al5RfMyFSrFZfpmxJzXsFVG8vLYF?slug=aw-marion121508&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

edit: I just added "rumor" to the title - Chris

[Hoops]

Perfect. I hope they make that move. The Cavs shouldn't try to fix something that ain't broken.

Marion has been a shell since he left Phoenix. Nash was the best thing that ever happened to him. Cleveland has no pure PG - that's what Marion needs to be dangerous.

I'm not sure I can put it all into words right now, but my gut tells me that Marion to the Cavs would be good for the Celtics.

[FanInTheSouth]

That's the way I'm leaning too.  When I first saw it I was like, that would really help the Cavs A LOT.  But after thinking about it for a few, I really think that Varejao is a perfect compliment type of player for Lebron.  Plus, how would Marion feel about having to defer to Lebron all the time?

[LarBrd33]

Marion is still darn good.  That would help the Cavs in the long run.  It's not like Wally does a ton for them.  

[Hoops]

Marion is still darn good.  That would help the Cavs in the long run.  It's not like Wally does a ton for them.  

If it doesn't help them beat Boston this year, it doesn't matter. At least not to me. The only benefit I see for Cleveland is that they hope to use Marion's expiring money to bring in a bunch of talent to convince LeBron to stay in Cleveland in 2010. If that happens, it will definitely help the franchise in the long run.

But I don't see this deal improving the Cavs this year - I think it hurts them.

Here's my question, is LeBron more likely to stay if they spend a bunch of money on free agents next year (after losing in the EC Finals) or if they win a title this year? I think the latter is more likely to convince him to stay. And I think they'll have a better chance of winning this year if they don't tinker - especially not for Marion.

[celticsmaniac]

I PRAY that this doesn't happen.

Verajoa is so freakin overrated its hilarious. Wally is hardly a difference maker at this point in his career. Marion is a beast

[Hoops]

Verajoa is so freakin overrated its hilarious. Wally is hardly a difference maker at this point in his career. Marion is a beast

That's funny, I was thinking just the opposite. Varejeo has always been valued for his scrappy energy, but this year his stats are better - shooting something like 59% from the field, rebounds are up. On the other hand, everyone thinks of Marion as this superstar type - only he's been playing like crap all year.

Obviously, Marion is better than Varejeo, but for what the Cavs are trying to do this year, I'd rather have Wally and Varejeo than bring Marion in.

[MetroGlobe]

I really like this trade for the Heat.  Right now they have no viable center.  Haslem starts at the 5 for them.  But he should be coming off the bench backing up Beasley (or vice versa).  Adding AV at least gives them a tall player who can actually man the middle.  And with Beasley their future at the 4, they certainly don't want to extend Marion.  Then they'd also be adding Wally's expiring deal. 

I think this helps the Heat as much as Cleveland, for sure.

[ManUp]

This trade sounds great. I'd love it if Cleveland put a SF who can't shoot next to there SF who can't shoot. Oh and they lose a rebounding, defending, hustle guy at the same time.  Last thing the Celtics need is for Cleveland to have a dead eye 3point shooter to space the floor for Lebron, or a Big physical rebounding hustle guy to bug KG. I don't see how this isn't a win for the Celtics.

[Chris]

This trade scares the hell out of me.  Marion would make them incredibly tough to beat.  He would likely ply PF for them, and he would be very good in their system.  I really hope that doesn't happen.

[TatteredOnMySleeve]

Not scared of Shawn Marion..isnt great alongside wade, would be even worse alongside Lebron, he's a known locker room cancer who wants to be "the man"...

[TatteredOnMySleeve]

I PRAY that this doesn't happen.

Verajoa is so freakin overrated its hilarious. Wally is hardly a difference maker at this point in his career. Marion is a beast

Completely Disagree
Shawn Marion is not a beast, he's highly overrated and a cancer (why do you think Miami doesnt want him) if he was so great, they would want to keep him paired with Dwade.

Vareajo is the cavs best post defender and a great energy guy that is having one of his best years

[Chris]

I PRAY that this doesn't happen.

Verajoa is so freakin overrated its hilarious. Wally is hardly a difference maker at this point in his career. Marion is a beast

Completely Disagree
Shawn Marion is not a beast, he's highly overrated and a cancer (why do you think Miami doesnt want him) if he was so great, they would want to keep him paired with Dwade.

Vareajo is the cavs best post defender and a great energy guy that is having one of his best years

Miami doesn't want him because they want Boozer this offseason, and can't afford both.  Not to mention they already have a SF in Beasley.

[2short]

Cleveland in a nut shell:
Lebron one of the few nba players who can take over a game (or series) and win it, scary
Z-touch match up for us
Verajoa-certainly not as important as lebron but he is a guy that makes so much happen for them, scrappy on rebounds, loose balls etc
I'm fine with it, wally might be a stiff but he can shoot long range.  Marion ehh never really thought he was that good.  Do we have an easier time matching up with marion..kg, leon the answer is yes.  KG to me is the only guy we have to match up well with verajoa.
It takes a special teammate to watch lebron with the ball a huge % of the time, is marion the guy, nope.

[jgod213]

In playoffs, the name of the game is defense.

This is why Shawn Marion doesn't scare me.

I actually thought the combination of Verajeo and Joe Smith was relatively effective against Boston in the playoffs last year, and i think that Ben Wallace does a decent job of bodying up KG on defense.  If the Cavs were to aquire Marion, they'd obviously become a more dynamic offensive team, but defensively they'd be slightly worse.

Shawn Marion would need 30+ minutes a night (playoffs included), his ego demands it.  That means that they'd go from matching up KG with Verajeo/Wallace/Smith to basically KG v Shawn Marion.  I don't think that the added offensive threat makes up for the lost bulk/defensive aggresiveness that they lose with this move.

Mike Brown knows defense.  Ferry needs to bring guys in who will buy into his teachings.  I don't think it would hurt the Cavs if they were to aquire another swing man, but not one who only plays on one side of the court and demands starter minutes.