NBA Free Agents 2014: Shawn Marion To Join Miami Heat For One Last Title? Former 'LeBron Stopper' Becomes Sidekick To Win Championship!
The NBA Free Agents are starting to look around for options. Players of different age groups have different priorities now, and Shawn Marion is at the twilight of his career.
Shawn Marion was a key ingredient in the Dallas Mavericks one and only championship in 2011. His main task was to defend a young LeBron James looking for redemption after being swept in his first Finals appearance.
It was also the first season of the pompous Miami Big Three who proclaimed that they would win multiple championships.
The Dallas Mavericks were more than willing to play the spoilers role. They had the veterans to provide experience and Marion had the size and athletic ability to keep up with LeBron James.
Fast forward to 2014. The Mavericks are rebuilding, Shawn Marion is about to become a free agent-he's older and slower while LeBron James' game is now the closest to a complete all around machine as we can ever see.
Shaw Marion spoke to ESPN:
"When July 1 comes, I'll look at my options and see which options are best suited to me to add to my legacy. It's not about money right now. I've made a lot of money in my career. I've been truly been blessed. I'm not taking any of this for granted. I've just got to weigh my options."
One of those options is no less than the Miami Heat. Marion actually played in Miami prior to the LeBron James era. He has caught the eye of Pat Riley.
From ESPN: "Marion just happens to still have a home in Miami from his brief stint with the Heat in 2008 and '09. His hometown of Chicago could also be a fit for Marion.
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau was rather perturbed when the Chicago front office traded Luol Deng in a salary-dump deal before the deadline. Marion has some of the same traits as Deng - toughness, defensive versatility - at a presumably much lower price. If the Bulls add Marion, they'd likely be able to lighten the load on Jimmy Butler, who averaged 38.7 minutes per game last season."
Both teams have a better chance of winning a title in Dallas. It is safe to assume that Marion may wait and see if Dallas can pounce a top tier free agent like LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony or Chris Bosh. If not, he may look elsewhere.