The Three Eras of Shawn Marion

We tend to break down life into eras. It's human nature. We do it with sports, history, even our own lives. There was history before 9/11 and after. There's our lives before and after we had kids. Our job before and after we got that promotion.

I definitely look at NBA players that way. Every time they move to a new team, get a new star teammate, or get a career-changing coach, it's the start of a new era for them. Sometimes it's hard to tell one era from another until years later.

For me, there have been three eras in Shawn Marion's long and stellar career. He's been electric and moody, an erratic shooter and a dominate defender, and so much more. Whatever you think of him, I consider Marion to be one of the most interesting players I've ever watched. And I'm looking forward to his time in Cleveland, which might be the start of a new era in his career. But I'll wait until I see the Cavs play before discussing that. Let's get to the three eras of Shaw Marion:

The 7 Seconds or Less Suns--We were introduced to Shawn Marion as a lanky, lightning quick scorer out of UNLV. He made the Western Conference all-star team in his fourth year, averaging 21 points and 9 rebounds a game. That's pretty good, but it's downright miraculous when you consider that the point guard on that team was none other than Stephon Marbury. It's amazing he even got to touch the ball on offensive possessions.

Mike D'Antoni took over in 2003 and installed a system that fit Marion like a glove. Then Steve Nash arrived from Dallas and the fast-paced, 7 Seconds or Less offense was born. Marion thrived, making the all-star team three years in a row. The Suns averaged 59 wins over those three seasons and made the Western Conference Finals twice. It probably would have been three if not for A'mare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw being suspended for stepping onto the floor in a game four shoving match.

My memory of Marion during these years is a gravity-defying, back-cutting beast, sliding into space just in time to catch a pass from Nash and slam the ball home. I can't remember a player with a better fit for a system. Maybe LeBron James in Miami, forcing turnovers and then running like a freight train on the break. Marion would have dominated in the system no matter what. Adding Nash at the helm just made Marion even more devastating.

Unfortunately, Nash played so well it made the Suns' management think that Marion was expendable. They thought Nash was the key, and all that mattered was surrounding him with young athletes who could score. This led to a sour relationship between Marion and the Suns. He felt disrespected, slighted, and unappreciated. Marion asked for a trade, and on February 6, 2008, he was traded to the Miami Heat for Shaquille O'Neal.

The Lost Years--After that trade to Miami, I'll admit I lost track of Marion. The Heat weren't very good at the time, and Marion's scoring dropped off significantly, to 14 points per game. Marion and the Heat tried to negotiate a deal, but never could agree to terms. In February of 2009, Marion was traded to the Raptors in a move that cleared cap space which would be used to sign LeBron James in the summer of 2010.

Marion only played 27 games with the Raptors, and no one had illusions about him staying past the 2009 season. But Marion is a pro, so he talked about the opportunities in Toronto and trying to make the playoffs (even though the Raptors were five games out at the time). The thought at the time was that Bryan Colangelo was clearing cap space in an attempt to keep Chris Bosh in Canada. It didn't work.

The Championship Years--In the summer of 2009, Shawn Marion signed a four year contract with the Raptors and was promptly traded to the Dallas Mavericks. The deal was insanely complicated and required four teams to facilitate. I'd always liked Marion, but now, living in Dallas, I got to see him play all the time and came to appreciate him even more.

Marion had come so close to a championship in Phoenix and then spent the last two seasons toiling away on mediocre teams. By the time he signed with Dallas, Marion was hungry for that elusive ring. He ended up being coached by Rick Carlisle at the perfect time in his career.

The Mavericks explained to Marion that they didn't need a high volume scorer. They needed a defensive stopper who could contribute occasionally on the offensive end. It would be a shift in playing style for him, a challenge for a veteran with pride. But to his credit, Marion fully bought into the role.

Over the next four seasons, Marion took on whatever defensive challenge was thrown his way. Every night he guarded the opposing team's best scorer. He never made another all-star team, because his numbers slipped. But anyone watching him play could tell he was an integral part of the team, snagging rebounds, hitting corner three's with that unique shooting motion, and sinking awkward floaters. Whatever the Mavs needed, Marion was there to provide.

It paid off in 2011, when Dallas won their first championship. All along the way, Marion put his stamp on the playoff run. He ended up guarding LaMarcus Aldridge, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James. It's rare to find a defender who can guard that quality of player effectively and still contribute on offense. But Marion did.

I've watched him now, quietly playing solid basketball on a stripped down Dallas team. He never complained, never pouted about the lack of talent around him. He was the ultimate professional, going out and doing his job every day.

I'm glad he's ended up on this highly publicized Cavaliers team, because I want the world to see how great a player Marion is. And I know he's on the downside of a great career, but I think he'll still have some great moments in the playoffs the next couple of years. So take the time and enjoy the last few highlights of a tough, complete, and quiet basketball legend.