What Steve Kerr and Rex Chapman Have in Common

First, a few ditties on the trade, which does appear immenent. For the record, I'm as skeptical as anyone, but I'm keeping an open mind for one reason only. Steve Nash has a habit of giving everyone he plays with a career year (see: Quentin Richardson et al), so who knows what he can do with Shaq.

• I hear that both Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire are in favor of the trade, but that Mike D'Antoni? Not so much. This is really the victory cigar for Steve Kerr on the internal debate as to whether the uptempo sytle D'Antoni preaches will win. Apparently, D'Antoni is the only one in the organization that thinks so.
• One of the pluses I keep reading, is that Phoenix's shooters will make it harder to clog the middle, and that Shaq will open things up on the perimeter. That's assuming Shaq can still draw the double team, which I'm not sure of anymore. And, if he only play 20 minutes a night, what do you do with the rest of the game?
• This gives Phoenix TWO aging, injury prone starters trying to to feel their way through the twighlight of their careers. What do you think the odds are on both Grant Hill AND Shaq having full, productive seasons at the same time?? Talk about rolling the dice...
• I also read that this won't hurt their fast break because you don't need 5 guys running the break at the same time. That's hogwash because: You may not need 5, but you need the threat of all 5. One thing that always made it tough for the Dallas Mavericks of the world, was that the Phoenix center (Stoudemire) was always running up and down the floor. That wore out the poor Dampiers of the world, and made for easy buckets for Stoudemire - especially on the break. Now, the Dampiers will KNOW they don't even have to cross half court or play transition defense.
• Taking away Marion hurts their break I don't care what else. He's one of the top fast-break threats and finishers in the league - not having him hurts their fast break period.
• Finally - do you REALLY want Shaq mentoring Amare Stoudemire? "Here's how you do it, Amare...lay around all summer, party like a rockstar in every city you go to, have surgery in the middle of the season, and play your way into shape so your ready for the playoffs...and DO NOT work on your foul shooting. Hey, look how well it's worked for me!"

Finally, you know what this reminds me of? When Denver traded for AI mid-season. Another aging superstar that absolutely did not fit on the team. With a superstar blossoming in Melo, why add someone who needs to dribble the ball for 20 seconds (I'm being generous) of the shot clock to be effective, and who shoots the ball at a poor percentage? The trade made no sense to me then, and it still doesn't. Melo is in his prime, build around him and add pieces that compliment him. Instead, Rex (as a first year GM) makes a splashy, high-profile trade that gets lots of press. Steve Kerr (as a first year GM) is making the same mistake. Yes, he's putting his stamp on the team and proving he has control...but at what cost?? Denver has yet to win a playoff series, either before or after the AI trade. We'll have to see if Steve Nash can work enough magic to make the Shaq trade work. I kind of doubt it, but you never know with Steve Nash.